Mathew Hayden calls for 'ruthless' Aussie call after T20 World Cup fail
Aussie batting great Matthew Hayden has called for Australia to be 'ruthless' when looking at an overhaul to the current T20 squad as the fallout to the nation's knockout at the World Cup continues.
The post-mortem of Australia's World Cup exit continued on Tuesday, with chief selector George Bailey defending several calls including the one to drop Mitchell Starc against Afghanistan.
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Greats such as Mark Taylor, Shane Watson and Michael Clarke have weighed-in and questioned the team selection and the players after a brutal exit.
Australia do not play another T20 until August, and selectors will first turn their eye to a one-day World Cup and Test Championship.
And batting great Hayden has called for big changes to the squad.
The former opening batsman pointed to the shock axing of Steve and Mark Waugh from ODIs in 2002 as a model, which came just years after the 1999 success.
Matthew Wade and Aaron Finch headline the names unlikely to be there come the 2024 T20 World Cup, but nine of Australia's 15-man squad were aged over 30.
"There has to be some freshness," Hayden said.
"One of the great strengths of Australian cricket has been its ability to be able to recognise when to make that gear change into a different playing roster.
"A little bit like Mark Waugh giving way to someone like myself after World Cup campaigns, it's always been quite ruthless in preparing for the next World Cup.
"They are the premium events that everyone across the world plans for. And Australia unfortunately just didn't get it right."
Matthew Hayden questions Aussie selections
Hayden, while still part of this World Cup as Pakistan's batting coach, was another great to question the selection decision to drop Starc for the final group game.
"Strategically not playing Mitchell Starc, our premium bowler, ahead of that game was really significant as well," Hayden said.
Another player to question the brutal exit from the Aussies was former captain Clarke.
The World Cup winner claimed it appeared to be an 'un-Australian' type tournament from the squad.
He also agreed with Hayden over the omission of Starc for the final game.
"I don’t want to kick them now and I don’t want headlines, ex-captain smashes Australian team," he said on Big Sports Breakfast.
“I just think they got a number of things wrong and I made it very clear in commentary that I think leaving Mitchell Starc out of the team against Afghanistan was one of those things."
Despite a number of legends weighing-in on the fallout, selector Bailey defended the move, arguing Australia's need to win big meant they planned on bowling Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood for longer up front.
He reasoned Australia therefore needed the depth bowling of Kane Richardson, with Cameron Green bowling middle overs while replacing the injured Finch.
Bailey and coach Andrew McDonald have since copped strong criticism, with Shane Watson going as far as to say they deserved to be put under the microscope.
"Every time an Australian team goes into a major series or tournament ... the expectations are very high," Bailey said.
"We're disappointed we're not taking part from this point on in the semis.
"Specifically to Starcy ... It was a tactical decision, it was a match-up decision.
"People can make of that what they will. And they are."
with AAP
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