Mark Waugh to head Australia's T20I selection panel

Melbourne, March 10: The Board of Cricket Australia (CA) has today (March 10) confirmed that Trevor Hohns, Greg Chappell and Mark Waugh have all been appointed to the National Selection Panel.

Mitchell Starc out of India tour

The Board has also approved changes to the structure that are designed to increase direct accountability across the different formats and ensure that the national talent management system is more effectively integrated into the selection function, CA said in a media release on Friday.

The change in structure sees a 3-person panel confirmed for Test and One-Day International cricket and a 2-person panel for T20 International selection.

The panel for Test and ODI cricket will be made up of Trevor Hohns who has been appointed full-time National Selector, and will be supported by National Talent Manager Greg Chappell in a part-time selector role, focusing on youth development for the Test and ODI sides. Darren Lehmann will maintain his position as Support Team Head Coach on the panel.

In an effort to improve Australia's T20 International ranking and focus specifically on T20 cricket, the panel for international T20 selection has been re-structured to a 2-person format with Mark Waugh leading the panel, supported by the Head Coach.

Hohns' is contracted until February 2020, with Chappell and Waugh's appointment ending in August 2018.

Speaking on the new make-up and appointments, CA Chairman, David Peever said, "On behalf of the Board at Cricket Australia, we would like to congratulate Trevor, Greg and Mark on their appointments. In making these decisions, the Board considered findings of a review conducted by CA Management which looked at various aspects of the selection function, including the selection approach, the relevant structure and ensuring that we have the best possible candidates for the period ahead.

"Trevor, Greg and Mark all have a vast amount of experience, we are pleased with their performance in the role over recent months, and are satisfied that this new structure will allow the Panel to be well supported by our national talent pathway and talent identification systems."

"The Head Coach will remain involved in selection on all three formats, but the other selectors will take on more focused roles, enabling a refined selection process and clearer lines of accountability within each of their respective roles.

"Trevor is highly experienced as a selector, and will ensure we place our best players on the field for both the Test and ODI formats, and help us strive towards our goal of returning to number one rankings.

"Greg has been instrumental in restructuring our youth pathway programme, driving the National Performance Squad, the introduction of a CA XI squad in the domestic one-day cup and creating clear pathways for talented youth in Australian cricket to aspire to wear the Baggy Green.

"Mark's knowledge and skillset lends itself well to the T20 format and he will take on the role as lead selector for this format, still linking in as appropriate with other selectors, who will, together with the State Talent Managers and BBL coaches, have inputs into selection.

"We believe this new structure will enhance the performance of the selection function and deliver clearer accountability around selection and, at the same time, offers the Board the opportunity to review a two-person selection panel in the T20 format, and how well this works," Peever concluded.

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