‘It’s stupid’: Cricket legend slams Australia’s Test selection gamble
Cricket legend Ian Chappell has launched a scathing attack on Australian selectors just days out from the First Test against India.
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Ian Chappell has launched a scathing attack on Aussie selectors as rumours swirl about the make up of the Aussie side for the First Test against India.
The former Test captain has slammed reports Ashton Agar could be selected for the series opener in Nagpur, beginning Thursday, purely because of his left-arm spin action.
The make-up of the side has been thrown into chaos following injuries to Mitchell Starc, Cameron Green and Josh Hazlewood.
Green’s finger injury is the biggest headache for selectors with the all-rounder already ruled out from being able to bowl in the match. He may still be selected as a batter.
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It has left selectors facing the prospect of heading into the Test with a limited bowling attack of two quicks and two spinners — Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon and Agar.
Mitchell Swepson and promising Lyon-clone Todd Murphy are also in the frame to play as spinners. West Australian firebrand Lance Morris could also make the XI if selectors elect to go with three quicks.
It is the criteria being applied to Agar’s possible selection that has angered Chappell the most.
Chappell on Monday told nine.com.au: “If the left-armer isn’t a great bowler, then it’s a stupid selection”.
It comes after former Test captain Michael Clarke on Tuesday also said Australia has a massive issue surrounding Agar’s selection while Green is not available to be the legitimate all-rounder batting at No. 6.
Chappell slammed comments made by Aussie selector George Bailey last month when he highlighted Agar’s ability to bowl to right-handed batters in spin-friendly conditions. His comments came after Agar returned figures of 0-58 against South Africa at the SCG.
Chappell said: “This bulls*** about, ‘Oh, we’ve got to pick a right-arm and a left-arm spin bowler’ — it’s crap. You pick your best bowlers.
“This business of picking Agar because he can bat a bit — you don’t pick bowlers because they can bat a bit; you pick bowlers because they can take wickets.
“You don’t want to get too carried away with selections. I think there are too many theories on selection.
“In my opinion, if you pick the best players — one of the reasons why they’re your best players are because they’re your smartest players. They work things out.
“So, if I’m (captain) Pat Cummins, I’m saying to the selectors, ‘Let’s pick our best team, and let me work out how we’re going to use that best team’.”
He said selectors appear to be looking towards Agar because of his ability to score runs.
“When the guy averages 40 per wicket in first-class cricket — never mind Test cricket — you’ve got to question whether he’s a good enough Test bowler,” he said.
“And my problem is when you pick a guy because he can do a little bit of bowling and he bats reasonably well, so you’re picking him because he might get you some runs down the order — it’s bulls***.”
Clarke said the battle between Agar and Swepson showed how critical Green has become to the side.
“If we had him with Boland and Cummins and Cameron Green at No. 6, then your two spinners, Nathan Lyon and Ashton Agar, then I reckon that’s a good attack in India,” Clarke said on Big Sports Breakfast.
“That’s good enough. I reckon you can use your part-timers as well. But without him, I don’t know how you go into the Test with two quicks and two spinners.
“I think we just have to be mindful of what is our best way to win a Test match, not trying to do what India’s best way of winning a Test is. We are a different team and we have different strengths.”
Cummins declared on the weekend that playing just two seam bowlers and two spinners in the match was “not a given”, which could give rise to Boland and Morris potentially playing in the same team.
Originally published as ‘It’s stupid’: Cricket legend slams Australia’s Test selection gamble
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