Australia coach Andrew McDonald insists that the Test team won’t give caps to players who aren’t the best 11 in the nation. There’s been a push for fast bowler Lance Morris to get a run in the first Test against Pakistan, but he’ll have to wait, with Mitchell Starc cleared to play. McDonald said the team won’t be elevating Morris or anyone else until they deserve the spot ahead of the incumbent players. The team will pick the best XI, and every Test match counts as the World Test Championship puts a premium on it. Morris was impressive in training, but the final XI will look the same as before. McDonald is confident that replacements are ready for the nucleus of the Test team, but the selectors are delaying the inevitable. In the modern era, succession planning is essential, but the team is seemingly taking a laissez-faire approach to the transitional phase. The team must pick the best players, and a spot in the Test team cannot be kept open to a team stalwart if they’re not pulling their weight.
