Waugh unsure about Australia selectors making tough decisions, being critical of George Bailey on the squad announcment.
Steve Waugh questions whether Australia selectors can make tough calls.
Steve Waugh, who is sure that the Test team’s transition hinges on George Bailey, Australia’s top selector, rarely has the appetite to make difficult decisions.
During a rare media appearance on Wednesday, Waugh—one of the most restrained characters from Australia’s golden age—questioned how the country is handling its ageing population.
Bailey then questioned what they were supposed to do while the elder players were still performing, insisting that he and his panel were prepared to make difficult decisions.
There is only one player under 30 in Australia’s 15-man selection for the inaugural Ashes Test, despite the team’s recent revitalisation being a big issue.
Usman Khawaja, another opener, will turn 39 next month, making David Warner the only player to have retired recently.
Nathan Lyon turns 38 this month, and quarterbacks Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, and Mitchell Starc will all be 35 or older by the end of the summer.
Asked how he felt the current transition of the Test side looked, Waugh said selectors needed to intervene to manage the process.
“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.”
“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.”