There is something deeply wrong with the way the administrators are managing the Australian Test cricket side.
From the CEO to the selectors to the coach, there is a growing sense of unease about whether they are capable of exacting the best performances out of our Test side.
In its current state, the national selection panel is doing more harm than good.
It feels distinctly un-Australian to wish bad fortunes on the national team’s chances in India; however, given the state of the governance surrounding it, a complete capitulation may be the only catalyst to truly instigate lasting change.
Every instance of significant upheaval to the Australian Test cricket hierarchy over recent years has occurred in the wake of a crisis.
The Argus report – a wholesale review of Australian cricket in 2011 – was prompted by a disastrous 3-1 home Ashes defeat. This saw the reshaping of the selection panel and the coaching structure, which ultimately led to the removal of chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch and coach Tim Nielsen.
Yet, many of the recommendations were ultimately ignored by Cricket Australia, especially in regards to the Sheffield Shield scheduling and long-term succession planning. The team started winning again, and these changes were quietly shelved.
Then in 2013, there was the shocking whitewash in India, as well as an early Champions Trophy exit. Combined with the “homeworkgate” disciplinary issues, all of this contributed to the sacking of coach Mickey Arthur, while captain Michael Clarke also relinquished his selection duties.
Most recently, there was the fallout from the loss to South Africa in Hobart. Afterwards, the selectors promised to revise and update their selection policies to focus on youth.
The problem is that none of these events has actually led to positive long-term outcomes for Australian cricket. Though there is much talk of reforming the way the game is administered and run, seemingly little has actually occurred.
After many of these crises, home wins over struggling or inconsistent nations such as Pakistan have deflected attention and papered over the cracks. Each of these victories seems like a band-aid on a gaping wound, disguising the real issue while allowing it to continue to fester, and Cricket Australia have been happy to sit on its hands.
The Sheffield shield remains a problem. The previously strong domestic competition, once long ago capable of filling stadiums with loyal fans, has faded into almost complete insignificance.
Games seem more like a glorified trial for the Australian team, with the emphasis on competition removed in favour of selfish individuality.
Then you have the selection panel, who promised so much in November.
Selector Mark Waugh told the Inside Cricket panel that they intended to select the team based on shield form with a focus on youth.
Less than four days later, Nic Maddinson was selected, despite being out of form and boasting a first-class batting average of less than 40. You have Darren Lehmann publicly criticising Glenn Maxwell by telling him to score big runs to be considered, while simultaneously picking someone who has scored very little.
And of course, there is the continued selection of Matthew Wade, who they said had improved his keeping. One could argue that he is even less consistent than he was before.
On top of all that, there are the suggestions from Waugh that Mitch Marsh was picked for the tour of India potentially to open the bowling and bat in the lower order. Our greatest strength is our limitless supply of quality fast bowling; to simply ignore that is an almost suicidal notion.
The selection panel’s mentality can only be described as obtuse. This cannot be allowed to continue.
What we have is a young, inexperienced Test side, chosen by a bunch of selectors unable to agree on our future direction, heading to the hardest and most unforgiving place to play cricket.
If we win, the underlying issues will still be there. The status quo would be maintained.
If we lose, the aftermath could result in one of the biggest shakeups in our history. The bigger the loss, the bigger the seismic shift will be. And it could just be for the best.
Maybe this time it will result in lasting change.
Andrew Young
Roar Guru
Agree with a lot of this piece; and that should we suffer a major defeat, the gaping wound would be revealed. However how can we expect the ramifications to be any different to the aftermath of 2011, when "the team started winning again, and these changes were quietly shelved"? Are we in too deep for a series loss in India to lead to the long-term changes required?
davSA
Guest
Yes Rugby King that is exactly the right attitude to go into the series with. They need to sleep eat and breath winning the series.They need to believe in themselves and be very single minded on this. If then they still lose well and good at least they did not go there to lose (or do reasonably well) . Better to have tried and failed than to not try at all. Australia have won there before , no reason why not again.
Bakkies
Guest
SA's stint at number one was built on away series wins. As far as I can recall in that period they obviously didn't beat Australia at home and didn't beat England in a series, this is while beating both away.
Bakkies
Guest
SA have won series in India relying on pace bowling. Most of their spinners in those series victories were club standard.
Bakkies
Guest
Well the Australian XI/A game was a good prep for visiting teams. They got a proper match against players with a point to prove. What happened with the Kiwis was a joke
josh
Roar Rookie
I bet CA media releases relate to either test/odi & T20 selections and BBL updates. The rest is if you want it you'll find it.
rugby king
Guest
Australia will win this series in India 2-1 Mark my words. Maxwell should not be allowed near the Test XI. Overrated and no value for wicket.
qwetzen
Guest
Yep, but I believe season by season is a better guide, eg Chris Hartley, and especially so when returns are diminishing eg. Gilchrist.
Matth
Guest
Australia is historically the hardest place to tour, unless the team is SA. Apart from one series loss to England in 2011, all other teams haven't won here for decades, and in some cases (including India) never. So a 12 year gap since winning in India is not so bad. It's actually been longer since we have won in England Life isn't so bad
Matth
Guest
To be fair SA is an anomaly. They beat us here and we beat them there. Which is the opposite of almost all rivals
davSA
Guest
Wow Josh , now you are thinking like the Aussie brains trust. How on earth can losing be a team builder. Read Nicholas Bishops article today on the England Rugby team , They according to him are developing a steel from constantly winning. I don't even have to tell you about the All Blacks. The SA rugby team under Alistair Coetzee also fall back on the excuse that losing is part of the building process. But as this is a cricket article let me get back on track....I have developed a lasting respect for the Australian cricket team since I was a child and never ever have I seen this kind of Psyche where losing somehow has an acceptable consequence. The sheer ruthlessness of previous sides is what has set them apart. What the solutions are is not for me to dictate as an outsider , but for sure the Sheffield Shield is and always has been the backbone of your teams . That's the place to start I think.
Bee bee
Guest
They are an extremely strong ODI side. Dont let recent away losses fool you. They haven't consistently pulled together a full strength team.
Red Block
Guest
Mark Waugh made 40 first class centuries here and in England before he was selected to play for Australia, nowadays anyone who makes 40 is suddenly in the line to be selected. Remember back about 20 years ago, we could name every player from every state in the Shield and argue about who should be the next one to wear the famous 'baggy green' if one of the test players should fail. There are players picked today who we have never heard of or worse, have never played a Shield game, apparently BBL form carries weight.
qwetzen
Guest
Well we've lost the last 3 home series to RSA so it's not all one-way traffic.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Clarke had a first-class batting average of only 36.94 when he debuted in Tests.
qwetzen
Guest
"It’d be like having a medium pace seam or swing bowler averaging mid to high-30’s on English green monsters." You rang? Brett Lee in England: 20inn, 29w @ 45.4 ATG my hairy....
qwetzen
Guest
Cop cars is one sense: Dubai: https://tinyurl.com/j2a79og India: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090325/ls15.jpg
qwetzen
Guest
Clarke by SS season; 99/00 - 31.9 00/01 - 25.6 01/02 - 38.8 02/03 - 47.7 Test debut Oct 2004 Career SS ave - 44.3
qwetzen
Guest
re Shield scores on TV news. There's been 8 days of Shield play since the BBL finished and the ABC 7 o'clock news has not had a single word of reporting. I thought they were a bastion of tradition. Wonder why they stopped?
Pope Paul VII
Guest
The only good thing the English ever gave the lucky people they invaded was cricket.