I guess it depends on the performance of the side and how Phil Hughes and other young blokes like Khawaja and Smith go when given the chance.
It should have nothing to do with it. If Hughes, Khawaja and Smith don't kick on and become test superstars within 6 months of their debut what are we going to do? Try and lure Hayden, Warne, and Gilly out of retirement? These guys are our future and they will need to be persevered with. If that means we have to go back to the 80s and cop some hidings to toughen them up then so be it. It would be a joke to play Hughes for a few months then drop him so Katich can play a few tests before he breaks down again then put Hughes back in.
We've supposedly got a tour to Bangladesh in April. If more than half of that touring squad aren't under 25 years of age (0 of the Adelaide test side are) then the selectors should be tarred and feathered. Hughes, Smith, Khawaja, O'Keefe, Copeland, and George at least should be on that plane. Only one of Ponting and Hussey should be there and frankly I wouldn't have a problem if Paine took over from Haddin. The future needs to start now.
Have a look at this England squad that are taking us apart. They are being led by a Vice Captain opening batsman who is younger than every single player in our side! Cook has been through some tough times, but he's 25 already played 62 tests and is odds on to bring up 5000 test runs before he leaves the country. He'll be Captain of England probably before his 28th birthday and is likely to score 12,000 + test runs. That is planning for the future. Only three of the touring squad are over 30 years old (Strauss, Pietersen and Swann), and two of their top 3 seamers are under 25. They are younger, fitter, and hungrier and it shows every time they step onto the field.
