SYDNEY, Mar 14: Sacked Australian vice-captain Shane Watson’s wife was today blessed with a baby boy, raising the possibility of his return to India in time for the fourth Test starting next week.
Barely three days after Watson returned home from India under dramatic circumstances, his wife Lee Furlong gave birth to their first child in a Sydney hospital and the couple named him ‘Will’.
The birth of the baby, incidentally on the first day of the Third Test at Mohali, means that Watson could now return to India for the final Test of the four-match series beginning in New Delhi on March 22.
It is, however, learnt that Watson was yet to decide on rejoining the touring party though his captain Michael Clarke had said on Wednesday that he would like to have his deputy back as soon as possible.
Watson had flown out of Chandigarh for Sydney soon after it was announced on Monday that he was one of four players — the others were James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaja — who were dropped from the team the third Test for a breach of team discipline.
Watson had made no secret that he felt the scale of the punishment was “very harsh”, and even suggested he would weigh up his Test future as a result. However, he insisted his decision to leave the tour was primarily based on his wife’s pregnancy and his desire to be at her side for the birth.
The sacking from the team in a way turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Watson as he could reach home in time for the birth of his first child.
The 31-year-old had planned to skip the fourth Test and miss the early stages of next month’s Indian Premier League to be with his family. (PTI)
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