"The non-selection of Mitchell Starc..." - Mark Waugh demands split coaching in Australia after T20 WC debacle

Former Australian cricketer Mark Waugh slammed the team management for dropping Mitchell Starc for the Super 8 match against Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup 2024. Mark Waugh called for a split coaching setup in the Australian team after the recently concluded tournament in the West Indies and the USA.

Australia remained undefeated in the group stages of the tournament. The Mitchell Marsh-led team registered a victory against Bangladesh in their first Super 8 match. However, they were shocked by Afghanistan in their next match. Australia failed to advance to the semi-finals after losing to India in their last game.

Australia missed out on the knockout stages for the second consecutive ICC T20 tournament. They were eliminated in the group stages in the 2022 edition after winning their first T20 World Cup in 2021. It's worth mentioning that Australia won the ODI World Cup 2023 and the World Test Championship (WTC) final last year.

We Should Do A Lot Better Than That - Mark Waugh

Speaking to Fox Sports’ The Back Page, Mark Waugh criticized Australia's selection choices, adding that Jake Fraser-McGurk and Josh Inglis should have been included in the team. Waugh emphasized the need for a reevaluation of T20 cricket, highlighting the talent available within and around the Australian team.

“We need a reboot in T20 cricket. With the amount of talent we’ve got in the squad and around the squad, we should do a lot better than that. We’ve got a lot of good players who didn’t play in that tournament,” Waugh said.

"Jake Fraser-McGurk should have been in the squad, because you just have him there, ready, locked and loaded to go if you need him, but he wasn’t there. The non-selection of Mitchell Starc against Afghanistan was crucial, and even Josh Inglis not getting a game," he added.

Fraser-McGurk was excluded from the 15-player squad but included as a traveling reserve. Josh Inglis was overlooked in favor of veteran Matthew Wade, who had a disappointing performance with the bat during the tournament. Wade managed 27 runs in four innings at an average of 13.50 and a strike rate of 112.50.

We Need A Reboot By Having A Different Coach - Mark Waugh

Mark Waugh proposed the idea of having different coaches for red-ball and white-ball cricket in Australia, similar to England, where Brendon McCullum and Matthew Mott took charge separately. Waugh stated that fresh perspectives could bring about necessary changes.

“I reckon we need a reboot by having a different coach for T20 cricket, or 50-over cricket (as well). I think a fresh set of eyes, someone in there to come in and make some change. I think we need to look at some fresh eyes in that T20 outfit,” Waugh continued.

Earlier, Australian coach Andrew McDonald expressed his preference for a single head coach overseeing all formats. McDonald stated that with one coach, the selection panel can effectively manage and prioritize different formats. He suggested that unified leadership allows for better management of the overall team.

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