Serving as an Australian cricket selector is an unenviable task, met with relentless scrutiny and criticism. The current panel, led by George Bailey, has attracted more criticism than praise during their two-year tenure, particularly after making unexpected decisions like promoting Steve Smith to Test opener and introducing Cameron Green at No. 4 following David Warner’s retirement. Bailey is the longest-serving selector, joined by Tony Dodemaide and coach Andrew McDonald after Trevor Hohns and Justin Langer’s retirements, respectively.
Despite their successes, such as winning the World Test Championship final, ODI World Cup, and the Ashes under their watch, the selectors made costly mistakes, especially in the T20 World Cup and Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The panel’s present focus on veteran players may be jeopardizing the future by neglecting younger talents in all three formats. Looking back, the selectors’ decisions have been scrutinized both positively and negatively, as expected in hindsight.
Throughout key tournaments in the past two years, the selectors’ choices have been a mixed bag, with both successes and failures. Notable selections included opting to retain Marcus Harris for too long and introducing bowler Scott Boland with remarkable results. They also demonstrated caution in choosing players like Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Swepson. However, their conservative approach in persisting with an out-of-form Aaron Finch in the T20 World Cup and their handling of the Warner conundrum received widespread criticism.
Warner’s decline, Head’s absence in India, and the unorthodox selection of players like Matt Kuhnemann and Todd Murphy have raised questions about the selectors’ decision-making. The panel faced criticism for backing Warner, but their selection of Mitch Marsh and the gambles they took during the ODI World Cup ultimately paid off.
In summary, serving as an Australian cricket selector is a daunting task. The current panel has faced both praise and blame for their decisions, with their priorities being challenged and their approach to selecting players coming under scrutiny. Despite their successes, there is widespread concern about their current strategy and the future of Australian cricket.