Bailey named Australia's new selection chief

George Bailey will usher in a new era for Australia's selection panel, with the popular former national men's team captain replacing Trevor Hohns as its chair.

Hohns, who turns 68 in January, has retired from his second stint in the highly scrutinised role having served through the team's glory years from 1995 to 2005 before resuming the post in 2016.

Bailey takes over from him after joining the panel in February last year, replacing Greg Chappell, and stepping straight into the job following a 125-game international career including 57 (29 ODIs and 28 T20Is) matches as captain.

Cricket Australia has begun its search for a third member of the panel to join coach Justin Langer and Bailey.

"The third panel member will add to their combined experience as we look for someone who will bring complementary skills along with their own perspective and diversity of thinking," CA's high performance chief Ben Oliver said in a statement.

Bailey's appointment is notable not only for the 38-year-old's relative youth compared to many of his predecessors - which include Sir Donald Bradman, Lawrie Sawle and more recently Andrew Hilditch, John Inverarity and Rod Marsh - but also for his playing experience in the shortest format.

Previous panel members like Jamie Cox, Andy Bichel and even Michael Clarke (who briefly served as a selector while he was captain) played in the early days of T20 cricket. But Bailey's 213 career T20 games, which included stints in the KFC BBL and Indian Premier League, gives the panel a fresh take on the format.

That will prove immediately relevant given the panel's most pressing task will be to settle on a squad for the T20 World Cup, the only major international trophy Australia's men have never won.

Bailey, whose five Tests all came against England during the famed 2013-14 whitewash, will then oversee selection for this summer's home Ashes before Test tours to the subcontinent and another T20 World Cup (to be held in Australia) next year.

The likely requirement to keep players in bio-secure bubbles during the pandemic will continue to be an ongoing issue for selectors, particularly given the workloads of all-format stars like Steve Smith, David Warner and Pat Cummins.

The absence of those three players along with Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Jhye Richardson and Kane Richardson from the five T20I series against Bangladesh beginning next week as well as the preceding tour of the Caribbean has magnified the selection challenges Australia are facing.

"Firstly, I would like to thank Trevor for his incredible work which has helped shape the success of Australian cricket over a long period, including during my days as a player and captain," said Bailey.

"In what can be a challenging job, Trevor has always been calm, consistent and approachable. Similar to his journey, he has made my transition from player to selector as smooth as possible and there is a lot I will take from Trevor's style and very much look forward to the journey ahead."

Hohns, a former Test leg-spinner who was part of Australia's drought-breaking 1989 Ashes series win, went on to oversee five consecutive Ashes victories as well as back-to-back World Cup wins in his first tenure on the selection panel.

Australia have not matched those feats during his second stint as selection chair, though the 2019 Ashes when visitors retained the urn on British soil for the first time since 2001 was a highlight.

"The game has been great to me and I have loved every minute of it, from the good times to the bad," Hohns said.

"I have been extremely fortunate to be involved with some of the greatest Australian teams of all time and many of the best players to have played the game.

"The successes of the side over the years has been great but I remember my time just as much for the wonderful people you work with and those you meet along the way. It has been an amazing journey for me, but all things come to an end. I am happy with my decision."