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Steve Smith is a safe investment for Australia

23rd November, 2015
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Steven Smith continued his amazing form in India. (AFP PHOTO / GREG WOOD)
Expert
23rd November, 2015
16
1750 Reads

“Just pick the best 11 players to win the next Test. Forget about their age or the future”.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard cricket fans make this short-sighted statement about the Australian Test team.

Admittedly, their argument is not completely illogical. There are times when you feel, in a particular Test, that were a country to have an in-form veteran in the side in place of a promising rookie, they would be better placed to win.

There are occasions when such a “pick your best XI regardless” selection policy could make sense. Late in a finely-balanced Ashes series, hypothetically, there could be merit in prioritising the now over planning and player development.

In such a scenario, it could make sense to narrow your focus and select a run-plundering old fellow to try to help get you over the line, before widening your vision once more and continuing to invest in youth.

But no side in the modern era of Test cricket has continually applied a selection philosophy of picking your 11 most in-form players. Why? Because form waxes and wanes so, suddenly, you would be churning through 20 to 30 Test players a year.

It might not fluster the true untouchables that most teams have – the likes of Steve Smith, AB De Villiers, and Joe Root. But imagine the effect it would have on the mindsets of the other members of the side, those who are not utterly dominant cricketers.

Each time they gave up a loose dismissal, dropped a catch or bowled a poor spell, chances are their mind would be swamped by doubt and anxiety. Even for mentally strong individuals, the idea that they were only ever one poor Test away from being replaced by the next bloke surely would gnaw away at their reserves of confidence.

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By comparison, a player who is empowered by his coaches and captain – given a clear role and a mandate for a generous period of time – is more likely to shed some of their jitters and play in a natural, confident manner.

This is particularly relevant when considering younger players, those who have not yet experienced the full peaks and troughs of professional sport. These cricketers, not yet full formed but with immense talent and potential, need care and nurturing.

Whereas an accomplished veteran well into their 30s may have a better chance of making an immediate impact than these rookies, the older player also has significantly less upside and a limited shelf life.

During a rebuilding phase like Australia currently are in, the temptation is to load up on reliable old stagers. “Open with Ed Cowan, put Michael Klinger at 3, Adam Voges at 5 and a batsman, not an all-rounder at six, say Shaun Marsh.”

Now, that experienced batting order may win you a series. But it won’t last long and then you’ll be back where you started. Fortunately, Australia’s selectors so far have avoided this tempting strategy as they look to renovate the side in the wake of the retirements of Michael Clarke, Chris Rogers, Brad Haddin, Shane Watson and Ryan Harris.

Wisely, they have picked just one veteran batsman, Adam Voges, to add experience to the top six in the upcoming Tests against New Zealand. Without such a player, the batting order would be too green.

The selectors were wise to otherwise invest in the comparative youth and upside of Usman Khawaja and Joe Burns. Both players are young enough that they can potentially play for six-to-seven years, but old enough that they have honed their games and rebounded from periods of adversity.

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In this way, the selectors are planning for the future without relying too heavily on youth. As I wrote on Monday, Khawaja and Burns deserve to be given an extended run in the side to properly assess whether they can be key building blocks of captain Steve Smith’s new side.

Smith and the selectors appear to be looking well into the future, ignoring the short-sighted approach of picking in-form veterans. Quick fixes are not what the Australia team needs if they are to build a dominant new side – a team which can develop and flourish together and become the undisputed kings of Test cricket.

If the veterans demanding to be picked were the quality of Darren Lehmann, Matthew Elliot and Stuart Law, who were the fringe players from the 1990s to early 2000s, it would be understandable that the selectors pick them ahead of rookies.

But, even the most ardent fans of players lie Cowan and Marsh must realise they never will be commanding Test players. The selectors seem to have acknowledged that and instead have picked Khawaja and Burns who still have the time to become quality international batsmen.

Australia, at last, appear to be investing in their future. It is a sage decision.

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