Andrew Symonds to enter 'Big Boss' house

Mumbai, Dec 6 (ANI): Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds is set to make his debut on 'Big Boss', the Indian version of the reality television show 'Big Brother'.

The Australian all-rounder, who was unveiled as the latest contestant in the show, after his arrival here told the media that he expected the atmosphere of the house to resemble that of a cricket dressing room.

"The idea of the game is survival of the fittest and the smartest and the cleverest. So, I'll be playing the same way the rest of the contestants will be and that is part of the way a cricket dressing room works as a whole, with banter and with fun, so you can get the better of another person. It should be good fun," he said

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Symonds said the show would also give the public an opportunity to know him as a person as opposed to a cricketer.
"You know people will get to know me better as a person inside the house, that's for sure. I am not going there to prove anything. I have had my time to play for Australia and that's over. You know I am happy living the life I am living now and as I said earlier this is a completely new and different challenge for me, that is one of the biggest reasons why I have taken it up," he added.

An excited Symonds further said he was also keen to learn Hindi, commonly spoken amongst contestants.

"My Hindi is very poor but I sort of understand the conversations a little bit. I am willing to learn. Each time I come to India I sort of get a little bit of the lingo back, hopefully the people in the (Big Boss) house will teach me a little bit," he said.

Symonds sparked fury amongst the Indian media and cricket fans in 2008 following a spat with Indian spin bowler Harbhajan Singh, who was accused of hurling racial abuse at Symonds.

Commenting on the infamous incident, Symonds said the two cricketers had sorted out their differences.
"I have played with Bhajji (Harbhajan Singh) for two years now and we have sat man to man and talked about what happened and it wasn't handled very well so we sat and worked it out. It's been smooth now and we get along very well," said Symonds.

"We socialised together even during the IPL (Indian Premier League) and we joke and laugh about it now, it's a good thing. I don't have any hard feelings towards him and I promise you that and I have enjoyed playing with him, he is a competitive passionate cricketer," he added.

Hosted by two of the biggest Bollywood superstars, Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt, Big Boss 5 in 2011 is the fifth season of the Indian reality TV show Bigg Boss, which is aired on Colors with handpicked celebrity contestants. (ANI)