Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke says the squad often thinks about former teammate Andrew Symonds.

Clarke said the Australian players were continually talking about the Queensland allrounder. "As a captain of that (one-day team in Dubai earlier this year), I tried to make things as easy and as comfortable as I could for him," The Herald Sun quoted Clarke, as saying.

"I asked him to present Doug Bollinger with his first one-day cap and he said he was really thankful for that and enjoyed doing that," he added.

"He has been a part of the Australian cricket team for a long time and he is still someone who we talk about daily because of the type of person he is," he said.

Cricket Australia pulled a one-year contract offer to Symonds this month after he was sent home from England in disgrace following his latest alcohol-related indiscretion.

Symonds (34) said on television program 60 Minutes on Sunday says he is not an alcoholic but blames binge drinking for the poor behaviour that has dogged his controversial career.

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