Post series for Sri Lanka, this is what I think the make up of the Australian sides should look something like:
Test:
Watson
Hughes
Khawaja
Ponting (c)
Clarke (vc)
Ferguson
Haddin
Smith
Johnson
Bollinger
Copeland
Ponting goes to 5 but keeps the captaincy until retirement. I'd be tapping him on the shoulder in 18 months time if he doesn't retire before then. If he doesn't regain form in the next 12 months he is gone, with either O'Keefe or another quick coming in. Can be either another rookie depending on development, or someone like Siddle. Alternatively a batsman. Whoever is best for the team. Johnson, Watson and Bollinger to guide Copeland, while the experienced batsman to guide Khawaja, Hughes, Smith and Ferguson. Khawaja to stick with Test cricket early in his career.
ODI: (post World Cup)
Watson
Paine (vc)
Ponting (c)
M. Hussey
White
Ferguson
Smith
Johnson
Bollinger
Copeland
Starc
Paine is captain in waiting for the national sides post Ponting and Clarke, and as such needs to work under both of them. Smith will be the next Australian VC and then Captain. Plenty of experience in the side, but with Ferguson, Copeland, Smith, Paine and Starc to inject youth. No Haddin as I think we need to get Paine ready for Test cricket. Same with the other youngsters.
T20:
Warner
White (vc)
Haddin
Clarke (c)
Hussey
Smith
O'Keefe
Hastings
Siddle
Starc
George
Clarke to captain the side, with experienced backup in White and the likes of Hussey and Haddin. T20 cricket requires innovative captaincy and good bowler rotation even more than other forms, given it's intensity and speed, so that will hold him in good stead for ODI and Test cricket captaincy. Still plenty of experience in the batting. But the bowlers are all young and raw. Here is where they rely on themselves with no experienced backup and to learn to bowl good line and length themselves. This is the deep end where they learn the most. Backed this theory up by giving six recognised bowlers + White. Can't think of two better captains (White and Clarke) or two better players (Hussey and Haddin) to encourage them along either.
Australia A (4 Day)
Maddinson
Lynn
Marsh
Bailey
White (vc)
Paine (c)
O'Keefe
Starc
Copeland
Hazlewood
George
Young openers, but one of the two will probably be the next Australian opener post Watson. Hopefully they will develop patience here. Similar plan with the bowling attack as the T20 side in that they have to rely on themselves. Even less support here than in the T20 side, which could be a good thing. It's a chance for them to develop some initiative, leadership skills and to form a bond together so that come making the Test and one day side, they can out think a batsman and stick to a plan, as well as to develop a kinship amongst each other. Given that it's the four day side, they will learn a lot about each other - both from a cricketing perspective and a personal perspective. I don't mind if they lose games because that will develop character which I hope will come in handy during Tests. Paine gets the side as his own with support from White. Made sense to me since he will most likely have (hopefully) that bowling attack as his in the Test side when he is captain. Best he figures out what they can and can't do early in their careers and to develop a relationship.
Australia A (50 Over)
Paine (c)
Warner
Marsh
M. Marsh
White (vc)
D. Hussey
O'Keefe
Siddle
Hilfenhaus
Starc
Copeland
Much more experienced lineup than the four day side. Brought in Mitchell Marsh as I think he is a gun. Only want him in the one day side as I think the four day game is too much for him at this stage and T20 may make him develop bad habits. Once he is a bit more mature and his game is well developed he can join the other sides. Here he gets a good taste of high quality cricket around good, experienced players in a reasonable time. A bit more guidance in the bowling attack this time. Paine is captain again.
Australia A (T20)
Maddinson
Warner
Marsh
Paine (c)
White
O'Keefe
Smith (vc)
Hastings
Harris
Hazlewood
I want Maddinson to learn to attack from the outset here as opposed to the four day game where he can learn patience. That's a good ability to have in Test cricket for various situations. Smith is VC. Good time for him to work with and under Paine since he is Paine's heir apparent as the Australian test captain. Long batting lineup given the lack of bowlers. Harris and Hastings to guide Hazlewood. The three H's still form a pretty good attack. Hoping O'Keefe and Smith can learn to bowl in tandem and to a plan since they are the likely next Australian spinners. I like to see young spinners in T20 games, because it forces them to think about taking wickets or holding down an end. Since they both will be working together, they can either form a plan where one holds down an end and the other takes wickets or vice versa, or they can both take wickets or hold down ends. You can get away with a little bit in four day games and 50 over games, but T20 highlights any laziness or mistakes tenfold.
So that's pretty much who I want and hope will be in the side in years to come. Any one of them can float between either side and some will play all forms of cricket in the national side given time and development. The main thing is I wanted to pick out one group of players and stick with them between each side for the next ten years to find that single core group for the Test side. I also want to develop thinking cricketers, as opposed to mindless drones. And the other thing I wanted to build was character and relationships in the group. Thoughts?
