Wrote about this in another thread and will paste it here:
"When I first started following cricket back in 1995, I remember as an 8 year old the large emphasis that was placed on the AIS academy and Sheffield Shield cricket. Now, in 2016, the funds, focus and emphasis have exclusively moved towards the KFC Big Bash and T20 cricket. Cricket Australia sold out to the BCCI, and the whole culture of the Australian dressing room has completely changed since the 2008 monkeygate controversy (even moreso since Ponting retired). The so-called Argus Review in 2011 - that was supposedly an indepth review into the poor form at test level and numerous other issues - has done absolutely nothing. A new generation of children have now grown up in a cricket era that has become all about the $$$, tv ratings, quick entertainment, flashing lights, glitz and glamour (red carpets at T20 games), not to mention instead of the professionalism of the likes of Richie Benaud fronting the camera, now being exposed to the likes of James Brayshaw squealing like a pre-pubescent boy, Victorians and the constant AFL references in commentary (e.g. Warne/Fleming/Whateley) etc. The true, traditionalist cricket fans don't relate to players in a team that constantly flaunt themselves in magazines/facebook/twitter/instagram, showing off their latest tattoos, blonde girlfriends or sports cars.
And it's no coincidence of the strong correlation that exists between when T20 cricket started becoming the focus at domestic cricket level (around 2010, just prior to the Big Bash changing from a state to city franchise format) and the emergence of sub-100 innings totals and dramatic batting collapses Australia has had at test level. Batting technique and composure of most players at state level is absolutely appauling, and then they are brutally exposed when they carry the technique and nonchalant attitude when they get opportunities at international level (e.g. Glen Maxwell). It's funny how the concern of T20 was mentioned in the Argus Review in 2011, yet nothing has been and nothing will be ever done about it as T20 is CA's coveted cash cow."
In addition, the culture of the team on a whole is another major problem: on the field, in the dressing room and off the field. You can keep chopping and changing the side all you want, but that is not going to solve anything in the long-term whilst the culture remains the same.
On the field, James Sutherland et al. at CA play a large role in this. Since the monkeygate incident in 2008, and 'sacrificing' Andrew Symonds as a peace offering, the Aussies' style of play on the field has changed quite a lot. The Aussies were forced to change the way they played the game, and clearly lack the hunger, passion and determination to succeed like they did under previous captains. If Sutherland was a real man and someone of principle, he would've bowed out from the CEO role many years ago. It's hard to believe he has been in that role for 14 years now, and there are several aspects of the game in Australia (too long to post here) that I hate now thanks to him and his cronies who will do anything to hold onto their nice 6-digit salaries. Also, before that incident, you had players in the team who grew up playing cricket in the pre-internet/social media era, who were in and out of the team during their career, playing in undoubtedly the most competitive era of Australian cricket history (1994-2004), and had a greater appreciation for what it meant to wear the baggy green as they had to actually EARN their spot in the side. Nowadays, baggy greens are being handed out willy-nilly, and you have players like Shane Watson (although now retired) and Mitchell Marsh repeatedly being selected despite a long run of sub-standard performances. Players also think it's their birthright to be automatically selected in the XI. This does nothing other than devalue what it really means to wear the baggy green in the first place.
In the dressing room, something has gone horribly wrong there. Not much has been publicly discussed about in the media, but the way or manner the team capitulated this series vs South Africa imply that something else may be going on behind the scenes that the public hasn't been made aware of. The role of the coach, captain, vice-captain and selectors in the team needs to be re-evaluated. It seems like since Lehmann became coach, he has been given more a lot more power than previous coaches such as Mickey Arthur. Until the end of the 2001 Ashes, during Steve Waugh's reign as captain, the captain and vice-captain were both on the selectors panel. The role of the coach, captain, vice-captain and selectors in a cricket team has always been a contentious issue, how much power and influence should the captain have in the selection of a cricket team etc. I don't know what you guys think about this issue.
Off the field, like with a T20 match, it's all become about the glitz and glamour. Tommy Smith made reference to this in regards to Nic Maddison's instagram page. The glitz and glamour is for all to see every year at the Allan Border Medal night where the focus and media coverage is heavily on the WAGS (players girlfriends/partners/wives) and what they are wearing, and also during Ashes tours since the last successful campaign in 2001. I do agree with Ian Healy's comment last year after our Ashes defeat about the WAGS needing to take a backstep and only being allowed on the Ashes tour if Australia has won the series. The girls can bitch all they want; this is not about them, this is about the players needing to be solely focused on putting in their best performance and giving the team the best possible chance of winning. Until then, the constant focus on the WAGS and the other side issues such as the distractions when disagreements and incessant bitch fights between players wives/girlfriends occur (as mentioned by several people in their autobiographies, such as Gilchrist and Bracken) is going to serve as a big stumbling block in on-field success. Also not a fan of large squads being selected, as on a long tour, there's eventually going to be friction and jealousy amongst the playing squad (that will also spill over to the WAGS) when someone is either dropped from the team or isn't getting a game.
