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Andrew Symonds will probably never play cricket for Australia again but he may still have a bigger impact on their summer than any of his former team-mates who do battle for the Ashes.
After sending home the controversial all-rounder, Ricky Ponting's weakened team have crashed out of the World Twenty20. Without him, they are showing signs of vulnerability, and the First Test against England is only 29 days away.
Sri Lanka's six-wicket win at Trent Bridge last night was Australia's second defeat in three days. Yet as impressive as their skilful opponents were, it is hard to believe Ponting's side would have been in this predicament had they kept Symonds on board.
Symonds has a charge sheet as long as a fast bowler's run-up, and Cricket Australia chiefs lost patience with him after the 33-year-old broke team rules on drinking alcohol.
Without him, however, the Aussies looked second-rate as spinner Ajantha Mendis took three for 20 to reduce them to 159 for nine from their 20 overs. And they were equally anaemic in the field, with Tillakaratne Dilshan and captain Kumar Sangakkara hitting half-centuries to steer Sri Lanka to a comfortable victory that booked their place in the next phase.
"Losing Andrew Symonds upset a lot of our structures," admitted Ponting, who scored 25 from 15 balls before he was bowled by Mendis. "He was outstanding in the Indian Premier League, and he is one of the best players in the world in this form of the game.
"Being without him does throw a spanner in the works, but we can't use it as an excuse."
Ponting is confident this setback will be forgotten and Sangakkara warned England to expect an Ashes backlash.
Sangakkara, whose unbeaten 55 held his team together as they chased down their target of 160 with six balls to spare, expects Australia to react positively to defeat.
He said: "We know what they are like. When you beat them, they bounce back. They are such a hard side to keep down, so you have to savour every win over them."
Ponting revealed the Aussies may try to organise another fixture between now and the four-day match against Sussex, which begins on 24 June.
He said: "It can't hurt that we now have more preparation time for the Ashes, but we are very disappointed to go out of the World Twenty20. We have to address areas where we have been deficient in this form of the game.
"Arranging another game would add to our preparation, but the Test players do not arrive for a little while."
Sri Lanka will be joined in the Super Eight by Ireland, whose surprise win over Bangladesh ensured they qualify for the next phase along with India.
