T20 Internationals should act as a gateway for Australia to introduce the next generation of Test and ODI cricketers to the international stage.
Test cricket is still the pinnacle of the sport, and One Day Internationals are a valuable form of the game that allows a tactical combination of both Test cricket and the shortest form of the game.
At the present time, genuine, competitive T20 cricket comes in the form of domestic competitions.
For everything that this form of the game brings, highlights, fireworks, excitement and entertainment, it seems a waste of time on an international stage, where matches are often played as a one-off, or as part of a throwaway three-match series.
Australia, despite its woes in all forms of the game, took the approach last summer of rewarding Big Bash League form in its T20 squads.
While seemingly a positive move and an indication that domestic cricket matters, the Australians continue to pick the wrong team with the wrong game-plan.
For this reason, it has become clear that results should be seen as a bonus, with the main intention of Australia’s T20 team to introduce future stars to the international stage.
An Australian T20 squad should feature no more than four “experienced” players, who are picked based on both performance, and valuable on-field coaching and support (Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell are two current players that fit the bill).
Seeing players like Chris Lynn fail consistently in Australian colours while Alex Carey bats at seven is a shocking, yet not unfamiliar, sight for fans across the country.
Lynn, Coulter-Nile and Tye excel in the competitive domestic T20 tournaments, but on the international stage, we see no payoff.
Australia is no better for picking these players, despite having their moments sporadically over the past couple of years.
True reward in this format of the game seemingly comes from bigger paydays across the globe, given more often than not the international stage sees these types get their 10-12 runs, or leak 9+ runs per over.
Therefore, it’s time to look to the future, and pick a host of players that will be featuring in the main two formats of the game for the coming decade.
At this point in time, Finch, Maxwell and Short are the only players above 28 years of age who should feature in the Australian T20 team, given all have performed well at international level.
Opportunities should be given to those players who perform well in the JLT One Day Series, or young players who have shown great potential in the Sheffield Shield or Futures League.
Aaron Finch (second right) of Australia leads his players off the field at the interval during the first One-Day International (ODI) match between Australia and South Africa at Optus Stadium in Perth, Sunday, November 4, 2018. (AAP Image/Richard Wainwright)
We can look at a player like 18-year-old Jack Edwards, who is still learning the game but has produced an excellent first eight games for NSW across all formats this season.
Imagine seeing him in Australian colours for one of the upcoming T20Is against India.
Of course, it is far too early for him to be playing at the highest level. Or that’s what we’ve been trained to think.
The nature of the T20 format allows for new talent to be discovered on a grand stage.
David Warner is the perfect example of what can happen if younger, lesser known talent is given an opportunity on a big stage.
Australian fans tune into the BBL every night throughout the summer and are exposed to a whole host of players that aren’t necessarily aware of prior to the commencement of the tournament.
The national team can take this a step further and develop the next crop of talent to help Australia get back to the “super-team” status it once had.
No other country is as afraid as Australia to blood youth and allow development to occur at the highest level. In fact, most other countries are bold enough to do it in Test matches and ODIs.
How else could we see the performances we do out of 19-year-old Indian sensation Privthi Shaw, 23-year-old experienced bowler Kagiso Rabada, 20-year-old Englishman Sam Curran, or Pakistan’s Hasan Ali, who has played 41 ODIs at 24 years of age?
This isn’t necessarily an exercise of just playing young players for the sake of it. It’s about identifying players that can have an impact across all forms of cricket for Australia and giving them as much early exposure to international cricket as possible.
It’s hard to change a mindset so engrained in the fabric of Australian cricket, particularly using the example of its rivals.
However, with Australian cricket in the current state it’s in, and the way T20 Internationals are trending when Australia plays in them, it’s time to start making it a valuable format of the game, instead of an afterthought we forget about until 20 minutes before each match.
It would be nice if we discovered a couple of diamonds in the rough that is T20I.
Properly done, this mindset could see Australia have quality players in their early-to-mid 20s coming into the Test and ODI team with some really solid international experience to lean on.
Using the T20I squad to develop talent cannot make results any worse than they are.
It’s time to bite the bullet and be brave, Australia.
For what it’s worth, this would be the XI and extra squad members I’d take into the first T20I against India on Wednesday.
1. Aaron Finch (c)
2. Alex Carey (wk)
3. Max Bryant
4. Ben McDermott
5. Jason Sangha
6. Glenn Maxwell
7. Jack Edwards
8. Ashton Agar
9. Cameron Green
10. Matt Kelly
11. Billy Stanlake
Rest of Squad: D’Arcy Short, Marcus Harris, Jake Doran, Jonathon Merlo, Josh Phillipe, Gabe Bell, Arjun Nair, Will Sutherland (injured), Lloyd Pope
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