Watson cools on retirement threats

Melbourne: Axed Australian vice-captain, Shane Watson has cooled on retirement threats, as he has made himself available for the Ashes and is also likely to return for the fourth and final Test against India in Delhi, starting next Friday, a report in the Australian media said.

According to `News Limited`, Watson is unlikely to walk away before the Ashes. He is considering a return to India next week for the Delhi Test. Sources close to Watson said that he is leaning towards playing in the fourth Test. He is likely to stay with wife Lee and their newborn son, Will, for three or four days, which would still give him time to be on deck for the final Test in Delhi. After Watson, along with pacemen James Pattinson and Mitchell Johnson, and batsman Usman Khawaja were sensationally dropped from the team for the third Test against India for ignoring team management`s order, Watson had returned home in a huff. In Sydney, an emotional Watson had said he was "absolutely shattered" and will have to weigh his future in Tests. To make matters worse, Cricket Australia`s high-performance chief, Pat Howard had stated that Watson was only a team player "sometimes". But, the 31-year-old`s relationship with Howard, and his views on Australia’s new cultural regime have not degenerated to the point where he would seriously pull the pin on his international career, the report said. PTI