Selection decisions are always a big talking point when it comes to any Test series Australia play.
But some huge questions, speculation and opinions surrounding who starts where in the Baggy Greens’ squad this summer have gripped fans, pundits and journalists.
Perhaps the biggest talking point of the summer so far relates to Australia’s batting order. Prior to the series, debate raged over who should start alongside Usman Khawaja as Australia’s openers, with debutant Nathan McSweeney getting the nod to succeed David Warner at the spearhead of Australia’s top order.
A spotlight was also placed on the form of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne following Australia’s 295-run defeat in Perth, with the pair struggling to live up to their high standars. Smith seemingly dismissed his doubters on Sunday in Brisbane, hitting his way to his first ton since last year’s Ashes Series.
While Australia have made only minor tweaks to their squad, with Scott Boland coming in for Josh Hazlewood in Adelaide – a move that now looks to become a permanent fixture for the remaining two tests following the latter’s calf injury – some have raised questions over Australia’s selectors.
Former Aussie coach Darren Lehmann was one who delivered a brutally honest opinion on the matter, claiming that the side’s chairman of selectors, George Bailey, was ‘too close to the team’.
Darren Lehmann (left) has criticised Australia’s selectors for being ‘too close’ to the playing squad
Lehmann pointed in particular to George Bailey (pictured), the chairman of Australia’s selectors, claiming his involvement with the side was making it difficult to make hard calls
Pat Cummins’s side settled for a draw with India on Wednesday despite having taken a strong foothold in the match, posting a first-innings score of 445
He appeared to claim that that was making it too difficult for him to make hard calls that might be in the benefit of the home side.
‘In my opinion, he’s too close to the team,’ Lehmann, who stepped down from his coaching role with Australia in 2018, said on ABC Sport.
‘I would like him sitting up watching in a selectors’ box somewhere and be able to make his own decisions.
‘My preference is the selector to be able to make decisions within a selection group and deliver a hard message if they have to. Make a hard decision if they have to for the betterment of Australian cricket.
‘Now, you can’t do that sometimes if you’re too close because you actually get too emotional and you care about the players.
‘As a selector, I cared about the players, as a coach you do, but sometimes you actually get too close and you forget about what’s out there.’
Lehmann added that some players are guilty of playing on ‘too long’ and needed someone to step in and tell them to step down. ‘Selectors have to be a little stronger,’ he added.
Cummins, though, has dismissed Lehmann’s criticisms of Australia’s selectors, hitting back at his claims that the selectors were too close as far from the truth.
Lehmann added that getting too close to the team meant that a selector could get ‘too emotional’ about the players
The spotlight has been on several Aussie batters during the opening three Tests of the series
‘I don’t know how that could be true,” Cummins said.
‘There’s so much more to picking a side than just looking at kind of the internet. So I think going on with really strong philosophies, working with players.
‘Of course the most important thing is you do stay objective. And I think that the selection panel are amazing at that.
‘They’ve made some, some really bold calls over the last couple of years in all formats, probably bolder than I’d seen other selectors make over the previous years, so they’ve never shied away from a tough decision.
‘I think what George brings to the role is amazing, and I think you’d hear that from the guys in the side, but you’d also hear it from state guys and everyone outside as well.’
Ahead of next week’s Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, Cummins revealed that selectors would be taking stock of Australia’s current squad over the next few days to pick the team’s next squad.
‘I think the selectors will get together tonight or tomorrow and pick the squad for the next couple of Tests,’ Cummins said after his side had to settle for a draw against India on Wednesday in the third Test.
‘But it’s been really hard for the opening batters, for both sides really. I’ve been really impressed with the way he’s gone about it.
Cummins hit back at Lehmann’s claims, stating he felt that it was ‘untrue’ that the selectors were too close to the team
Even today, someone starting out his career still being selfless enough to go out there and try and play shots rather than just trying to preserve and get a score.
‘So yeah really impressed with him again.
‘[He] Hasn’t probably scored the runs that he would like, but he’s played some important knocks that have set up a win in Adelaide and a really good result here.’
‘I think the selectors will get together tonight or tomorrow and pick the squad for the next couple of Tests,’ Cummins said.