BRISBANE, Australia (AP) - Veteran opener Matthew Hayden wants troubled all-rounder Andrew Symonds recalled to the Australian test squad "ASAP" ahead of its series against New Zealand.

Symonds returns to the national team for a Twenty20 exhibition match against an All Stars team Friday and Hayden advocated his recall to the test squad, which will likely be named on Thursday. The first of two tests between Australia and New Zealand starts in Brisbane next week.

"I’m going to be incredibly biased and say I want to have Symo back in the side ASAP," Hayden said Wednesday. "I think as we’ve said all along, an Australian side with Andrew Symonds in it is a better side."

Symonds was sent home from Australia’s series against Bangladesh at the northern city of Darwin in September for skipping a team meeting to go fishing. He subsequently was not selected for Australia’s four-test tour of India, with Cricket Australia deciding he needed more time to consider his international future.

Haydon said he’s missed playing alongside Symonds during the India tour.

"He’s a great team man and one I love, and have missed, playing cricket with for the last eight weeks," he said. "If (Symonds) feels he’s in a position to play cricket for Australia, which I’m certain he is, then good luck. It will be open arms from this dressing room door I tell you."

Symonds’ recent form in domestic cricket has been mediocre and his recall to the test squad is not expected.

Seamer Stuart Clark, who missed the third test of Australia’s just-completed series against India last week, may win a recall at the expense of leg spinner Cameron White. Off-spinner Jason Krejza, who took 12 wickets on test debut against India in Nagpur, is expected to hold his place while Shane Watson may edge Symonds from the test squad.

Hayden backed Krejza to play his second straight test.

"Even though ... he was going for a lot of runs and (Virender) Sehwag is a magnificent player of spin and put him under a lot of pressure, he got eight and four (wickets in each innings)," Hayden said.

"Those two results aren’t a fluke in test cricket. They’re (due to) good skills and he does have a number of those good skills."