Legendary Australian skipper Steve Waugh has accused CA chief selector George Bailey of not having the appetite to take any tough decisions while selecting players in the Test squad. This criticism comes after the Australia squad announced for the Perth Test consisted of only one player below the age of 30.
The Ashes series will start with Australia and England battling in Perth from November 21, and it will continue into January 2026. On Wednesday, November 5, Australia announced their squad for the first Ashes Test, and Steve Waugh seemed disgusted by the selection of players.
Steve Waugh has accused the Australian selector George Bailey of not having the appetite to make changes to the team, which includes making some tough calls. Not stepping into any form of controversy, Bailey claimed that his panel was willing to make some tough calls but couldn't since older players were still performing.
Australia announced their 15-man squad for the first Ashes Test, with only one player less than the age of 30. Usman Khawaja will soon be turning 39 next month. Also, several other players like Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Scott Boland, turn 35 by the end of this summer.
"George Bailey's going to have to make some tough calls," Waugh said. "I think in the past he's shown he hasn't really had the appetite for that at times, so he's going to have to step up to the plate with the other selectors."
"The bowlers are in their 30s, and some of the batsmen are getting on as well. That's natural for every team. You just want to make sure that three or four players don't go out at the same time. That leaves a big hole in the team. So they've got to just make sure that it is a transition, but not all at once," he added.
"I'd like to see the selectors pick the sides, not the players," Waugh said
Steve Waugh further mentioned that the matter should be taken out of the hands of the players, as it is the function of the selectors.
"I'd like to see the selectors pick the sides, not the players," Waugh said. "There's been a lot of players recently picking sides and saying who should be in the team. That's the selectors' job."
Recently, Usman Khawaja, the Australian veteran opener, had suggested the inclusion of players like Matt Renshaw and Marnus Labuschagne at the top of the Australian batting order alongside him.
However, the national selector has opined that it is quite usual for the State players to support their teammates and back them when asked by the media. However, such decisions never influence the decisions of the selection panel.
Usman Khawaja's selection has been defended sharply by George Bailey
George Bailey defended the selection of players like Usman Khawaja, stating their 232 against Sri Lanka, though it is just the second half-century score for him in his last 26 Test innings. He also claimed that he cannot ask senior cricketers who are still in good form to retire just due to their age.
"My question back, is there a tipping number once a player hits an age? Do you move them on?" Bailey said. "Is that what it should be for all the guys in the team still performing? Should that be the most important criteria?" said Bailey.
He further claimed that he, alongside the other members in his selection panel, is well aware of how to make young blood find a scope to prove themselves in order to be selected.
"That's not to say you're not aware of the age profile of the team, but we see each and every Test as being important. You have Australia A tours, getting guys across to the sub-continent ... getting guys in and around Test squads, utilising one-day cricket as an entry point," Bailey concluded.
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