Australia must value experience and form over youth

Shane Watson has joined the list of Australian cricket stars to have retired from Test match cricket.

The past three months has seen Michael Clarke (aged 34), Chris Rogers (38), Ryan Harris (35) and Watson (34) retire, with Brad Haddin (37) expected to struggle to return to the line-up.

The calls to blood youth in the side have come thick and fast. But is that the right way?

At the beginning of the 2013-14 Ashes series, we were given very little chance to win. We had just undergone a coaching change, from Mickey Arthur to Darren Lehmann, and failed to beat England in all five Tests on English soil, losing 3-0.

But in the return series, who lead us to victory?

A rejuvenated Mitchell Johnson, at 32 years of age. The left-armer was the catalyst for the attacking and aggressive style throughout, bowling with tenacity and fire to inspire an Ashes whitewash.

However, many forget the outstanding efforts of Brad Haddin. He finished with the highest average of all batsmen in the series, 61.62. He continually saved Australia from a low first innings score, hitting five consecutive first innings half centuries.

Harris was his almighty self, finishing behind only Johnson on the wicket taking table (22 wickets at 19.31). Rogers finished second on the run scoring list (463 runs at 46.30).

Following that Ashes series, the squad became the world’s number one ranked Test nation. But what is the one thing all these men have in common? They had a lot of first class experience.

They had all toiled away at state level and had used all their experience to pull off one of the greatest Ashes comebacks of all time and embarked on a very successful period for Australian cricket.

The move by Lehmann was a masterstroke. Play players who had done the hard yards in state cricket. Select the players who were in form. All barring George Bailey went on to play a role in the next year of cricket, including victory over South Africa away from home, a monumental feat against the world’s best.

That was a generational shift, or rebuild if you like, in itself. So why can’t we see another like that again?

Michael Klinger is making mountainous runs in England’s County cricket competition. Adam Voges has played only two series, both outside of Australia.

Age should not be the deciding factor of choosing players for the Test line-up. While Steve Waugh’s team of the early 2000s and Ricky Ponting’s after that were mighty teams, they’re as rare as they were incredible.

While the likes of Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Marsh should be given a go at the Test level, players should not be ignored simply because of age. Players should be selection on form, merit and experience.