Ashes secure, now it’s time for shake-up

CRICKET Australia will look to shake up its selection panel, with a T20 focus on the agenda, while also expanding the use of Test greats as coaching consultants under Justin Langer.

With selector Greg Chappell moving on from his role after the Ashes, changes are afoot and chief executive Kevin Roberts confirmed he would meet with general manager Ben Oliver in the coming weeks.

And on the agenda will be to bring a sharper T20 voice to the selection table as Australia ramps up its preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup.

“If you look at the shape of the panel now, one of the things we’d like to have more of in the future is more experience in T20 games as an example,” Roberts said in London.

“So rather than targeting an individual person, it’s really about determining what are the characteristics or capabilities we need among the panel and who are the people in Australian cricket who can fulfil those.

“It’s knowledge of the T20 game, whether it be playing, coaching and various other roles in the T20 game.

“A lot of Australians have been involved in the IPL and the BBL as well and some of those are young, some are not so young. Really it’s about the experience they’ve had as opposed to when they might’ve been born.”

The make-up of coach Justin Langer’s support staff is also of interest to Cricket Australia, with Roberts saying there was a desire to continue the strategy of bringing specialist consultants to assist the coaches.

There had been an expectation that Test legend Ricky Ponting was being groomed as Australia’s Twenty20 coach. That plan was shelved with Langer given full control to rebuild the Australian cricket brand from the top.