Shane Warne has put Australia’s senior players on notice as he fears another mass exodus in the coming years could continue their current trend of inconsistency.
The leg-spinning great also warned against Australia becoming too comfortable with up-and-down results in a period of transition.
Ahead of the summer’s first Test at the Gabba, Warne called for the national selectors to look closely at revitalising the side with young blood before it was too late.
Three series losses — to England, South Africa and India — in the past 13 months has seen Ricky Ponting’s team drop from No.1 on the Test rankings to No.4.
Mike Hussey, 34, has been under most pressure to retain his place for the home summer, starting against the West Indies on Thursday, while Ponting and Simon Katich are also 34 and Brad Haddin is 31.
“You have to say the Australian side has been in a transition phase but there has to be a line that when does that transition phase stop?” he said.
“I wouldn’t say Australia is the fourth best side in the world but the way the side has played of recent times you are going to have to be patient.
“But there comes a time when you say okay, are these guys in the side going to see us through in the long term or is there an opportunity to get some new blood in the side?”
Warne identified the likes of opener Phillip Hughes, leg-spinning allrounder Steven Smith and all-rounder Moises Henriques as youngsters who should be introduced to the side sooner rather than later.
He urged the selectors to learn from recent history when he was among four players — including Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer and Damien Martyn — retired during or after the 2006-07 Ashes success. Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden have also since gone.
“We need to say ‘what is our future?’,” Warne said. “If we’re going to stay in a transition side and stay patient with them, we need these guys to get the opportunity to play some Test cricket.
“Pick them at the right time. What we don’t want is to lose four or five of us like we lost (after the 2006-07 Ashes) once again. We don’t want to lose a couple of them.
“Yes, be patient and we’re going to be a bit inconsistent, but there comes a time when we say, we’ve had enough time. We know enough about ourselves, we’ve played enough Test cricket, it’s time to start performing.”
Skipper Ponting, who listed this year’s series victory in South Africa as among his greatest achievements, wants the faith kept his rebuilding squad.
“It would be nice to keep this group together, as long as we can get that winning feeling back, at the moment that’s really important as well,” he said on Monday.
“When you win and have that winning feeling around it really helps with the confidence of the group.”
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