Former Australia captain Mark Taylor believes the time has come for the national selection panel to start rotating pace trio Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood for the dual benefits of extending their careers and helping the next generation get used to the Test level.
Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood have had a mortgage on the frontline fast bowler slots for the best part of six years but all three are entering a stage of their careers where the finish line is in sight.
As captain, rotating Cummins in and out during series could be problematic but he has already had to miss several matches over the past four-plus years since he has been skipper with Steve Smith deputising for him seamlessly.
Taylor told The Age that the selectors need to protect the team for the near future when these three champion seamers are no longer available.
Starc, who turns 36, later this month won the Compton-Miller Medal for his Ashes feats which included 31 wickets leading an attack shorn of Cummins, 32, for all but the third game in Adelaide due to a back problem and Hazlewood, 35, for the entire series due to hamstring and Achilles problems.
The ever-reliable Scott Boland stepped up in their absence but he is 36, as did 35-year-old Michael Neser.
Brendan Doggett and Jhye Richardson filled in for three Tests between them and Taylor would like to see more seamers blooded at Test level.
“When you’ve got your best five about the same age, and it’s not 25 but 35 or over, that’s a worry,” he said.
“Twenty months from now is the start of the 2027-28 summer. By that stage, we could have a very different looking team.”
Jhye Richardson. (Photo by Mark Brake – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
Taylor believes Richardson is worth standing by despite a horror run with injuries but with Hazlewood and Cummins likely to be available for the two-match Top End series against Bangladesh in August, it won’t be easy for the Western Australian to get another game.
“You can bet Josh will want to play because he’s missed the whole summer here,” Taylor added.
“Scotty’s done well again and probably will feel he’s missed out enough. Pat will want to play, although he’s one who’s missed a lot of this summer. You want to keep him right for the Australian summer and India.
“First Test, I’d pick my best team, then look to rotate a bowler and get one into Jhye for sure.
“Every time we’ve seen him play, he does look good.”
Taylor is concerned Australia could face similar problems to the West Indies a generation ago when Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh retired and there were no clear candidates to continue their legacy.