Shane Warne for replacing Graeme Hick as Australia batting coach

BRISBANE: Australia has a lot of great cricketers and it is time to replace under-fire batting coach Graemehick with oneofthem, said spin legend Shane Warne.

Warne was critical of Hick, under whom Australia have lost their last 18 out of the past 24 matches in all formats, including the loss to South Africa in the oneoff T20 on Saturday.

“It’s time for a change,” Warne was quoted as saying in the Sydney Morning Herald.

“The one thing I would say is ... Australian cricket over the last 25-30 years has had some terrific batsmen.

“Graeme Hick has been there for the last few years and seen that the players are making the same mistakes all the time; it’s time for a change,” he added.

Warne believes one of the former Australian greats can do justice to the job.

“Whether it be Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey ... I’m sure any of those guys could do it,” Warne said.

“We’ve had great cricketers for the past 25 years and they (should) be around the cricket team more often. Get Glenn Mcgrath with the bowlers ... there are so many opportunities.”

Cricket Australia on Tuesday upheld the year-long ball-tampering bans handed to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft and Warne slammed Australian Cricketers’ Association president Greg Dyer for trying to reduce the suspensions.