For mine sentimentality and team selections are mutually exclusive.
What I think Cricket Aus should do is every few Tests in Aus assemble recently retired Test long term cricketers, Dave Warner, soon Usman, possibly GOAT (although still probably good enough). maybe Barrel, and parade them in an open air car around a Test prior to the start of the Test. They should get a big send off.
The brilliant Aus bowling attack has carried some of the batters for sustained periods, who are also quite old - Warner (should have been axed years before he retired), Labu ( 2-3 years of sub par and should have been dropped to sort his issues out, which he has belatedly), now Usman has struggled recently, and even Head ATM a brilliant home pitch player, has struggled overseas (like Doug Walters and Warner throughout their careers).
Starc, Josh H, Paddy and GOAT as a superb bowling unit have papered over some batting cracks and sustained losses of form of some batters.
Even Green, although young, has underperformed as a Test player to date. He should be averaging in the 40s.
I think younger consistent Shield players need to be tried. 2 more years and a few of the Aus team will be over 40. They are not the future.
They should be told, ‘we have to try some younger players. If you want to keep playing, go back to the Shield. You’ve had a long career, but we have to think of renewal. We can’t afford to have you all injured, or retired at the same time. We must blood and transition some younger players gradually. You are getting in the way of a competitive team in the future.’
