Opinion
Every year, the Australian national selection panel decides which players are best suited to compete in a growing number of fixtures across three formats of international cricket.
The selectors often choose contracted players, which means younger players are stripped of an opportunity to play high-level first class and Test match cricket.
A worry for the future of cricket in Australia is that regardless of the importance of the match, the selectors continue to pick an ageing squad, relying on veterans to win matches.
But once these older players retire, the team needs to be ready.
There is an abundance of young talent ready, but they will be thrust into a side that, as a unit, lacks playtime in international cricket.
Many people complain about the growing number of international fixtures being played, with Australia currently undergoing one of their busiest summers of cricket on record. In reality, it is the selectors’ reluctance to pick young players that causes senior bowlers to get injured or seriously fatigued.
The difference between the big three of Australian pace bowling and, for example, Jhye Richardson, Lance Morris, and Wes Agar is not as big as many people think. Without adequate rest and rotation, our fast bowlers will continue to get injured, so why play our best proven players over our best young players when we know that it should be a comfortable victory?
Resting Josh Hazlewood to make way for a player such as Morris is not going to cost them the game, and will improve the team as a whole.
Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
There is no issue with Australia playing more international matches – particularly T20s and ODIs against developing teams such as Ireland, Scotland and Nepal – with the sole purpose of giving younger players international experience, while the core players rest for bigger fixtures.
More matches will also boost revenue, increase the love for cricket in this country and around the world, and allow smaller teams to play against nations where cricket is a more prominent sport.
For example, it was rumoured in March 2021 that Ireland was in line to play Australia in a one-off Test match, likely to be staged in Tasmania. A fixture like this would give players that haven’t had the opportunity a chance.
Just imagine if Scott Boland had been able to play more international fixtures against lower ranked sides earlier in his career and how beneficial that would have been in the long term for him personally, and the Australian and Victorian cricket teams.
There is an abundance of young talent to choose from who could prove themselves on an international level and a plentiful amount of white and red-ball talent in Australian cricket. But to dig out these gems, the selectors must give them an opportunity in international cricket.
Cricket Australia took a big step forward when they announced young Victorian off spinner Todd Murphy as part of an 18-man squad to tour India in February and March. There is progress being made, with selectors like George Bailey opting for an approach that will see younger players given more opportunities to be in and around the squad.
The two-Test series against Sri Lanka in early 2019 saw Australia win the first Test in Brisbane by an innings, and the second test in Canberra by 366 runs. The selectors opted to give debutants Jhye Richardson and Kurtis Patterson an opportunity to play in a game that should be a comfortable victory.
It was a feel-good story for Australian cricket, as the team still dominated without having their best squad.
Throughout the two matches, Richardson took six wickets and Patterson scored 144 runs, including an unbeaten 114.
More international fixtures are generally frowned upon but scheduling fixtures against lower ranked teams will help Australia in the future.
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