'It's the hardest part': Two key figures couldn't care less that debate is again raging about Australia's Test future

It's become the buzzword around the Australian team seemingly before every Test series - but what is it about the need to "transition" that continues to remain an issue?

The age of the squad is a topic again. Heading into the Ashes, just one player in the side is under 30 and it's starting to get people worried about the future.

Perhaps there is merit to the concern. You only have to reflect on a period in the late-2000s when a stack of experienced stars bowed out close together and the team dropped down the rankings as a result.

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At the conclusion of the 2006-07 Ashes series on home soil, three legends of the game - Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer - all retired from Test cricket.

One year later, Adam Gilchrist finished up. A year after that, Matt Hayden was gone too.

It was a mass exodus that undoubtedly hurt Australia and the fear is that a similar type of thing could be on the horizon soon, given the age of the squad.

Usman Khawaja is almost certain to retire at the end of this summer. Nathan Lyon is about to turn 38 and is nearing the end. Steve Smith is 36 and Mitchell Starc isn't far off, while the continued fitness concerns around 34-year-old Josh Hazlewood is worrying.

Pat Cummins isn't on the doorstep of retiring, but he too has less time in the Test arena ahead of him than he does behind him.

But if you ask the 32-year-old, victories on the grandest stage are what is important and there's no reason to panic while the national team is still winning games and series.

"We've always held Test cricket in the highest regard and we want to pick the best XI that are available for every Test," he told media on Wednesday.

"You could try and pick faults in the last few years and say that you want to blood more young players, but I think our win record is as good as almost ever in Australian history.

"I wouldn't want to change that just to give one or two other people a go."

It's the old adage of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' and it's hard to argue with it.

So, with all the success that the Aussie team has found this decade, how do the selectors - headed up by George Bailey - find the right balance?

While the actual Test team is on the older side, former captain Greg Chappell looked towards the positives when speaking to media this week and his comments should give plenty of room for optimism when it comes to the future of the Australian set-up.

"It's the hardest part of selecting, getting that transition right," he said.

"We've had a couple of periods where we've had good eras come to an end and it's taken a few years to recover with a new-look team and younger players coming in.

"No doubt these guys are very conscious of the fact that they've got half a dozen or so guys coming pretty close to the end. It's a matter of having the replacements available.

"If you've got guys knocking the door down, then it's not so hard. When you look around domestic cricket over the last few years, domestic cricket has been populated by a lot of older experienced players - but we're seeing a bit of a change on that front.

"I think it's quite exciting to think of some of the young talent that's playing Sheffield Shield cricket at the moment. We might be looking forward to another really good era - it's just a matter of when the selectors are going to be able to fit those guys in.

"I think you look back at the last couple of U19s World Cup sides and there's anywhere between 10 and 12 young cricketers around the country that I'm quite excited about." 

Cummins was also bullish about the next crop of international talent.

"Shield cricket, Australia A, ODIs and T20s have been a great breeding ground for the next generation," he said.

"We feel really confident in the pathways and the great thing is there's lots of younger guys knocking on the door."

Looking across the Shield teams that have been playing early in the 2025/26 summer, there is evidence to back up what both Chappell and Cummins are saying.

Victoria are the best example, with six players from their XI - Todd Murphy, Campbell Kellaway, Fergus O'Neill, Harry Dixon, Oliver Peake, and Sam Elliott - aged 25 and under.

That group of players, mixed with experienced guys like Marcus Harris and Scott Boland, absolutely demolished a NSW team boasting a host of Test players by 300 runs.

O'Neill is the most accomplished of that crop to date and there are many smart judges around the country who believe he isn't far off playing at the highest level.

The right-arm seamer is closing in on 150 first-class wickets before his 25th birthday at an average of just over 20 - eye-catching numbers.

The other exciting name is Kellaway, who at just 23 years of age has been pencilled in as a future Test opener and even a possible replacement for Khawaja.

He faced the toughest task of his career this week, facing a short-pitched barrage from one of the world's fastest bowlers, Mitchell Starc.

Victorian coach Chris Rogers believes it was a valuable lesson for the youngster.

"I spoke to Campbell about this after, and he wouldn't have faced that challenge throughout his career," Rogers told media after the victory.

"If he's going to go on and play international cricket, then he will have to face things like that, where tall, fast bowlers are aiming at his front shoulder, so that's something that he's going to have to work on, the positions he gets into.

"To come out and get fifty and line the ball up so well against Starc and Hazlewood, I thought that was a real tick. And for me, it's proven once again that he could be the successor to Khawaja. He's going to do some fantastic things in his career."

It's not just the Vics who are littered with young talent playing Shield cricket either.

Sam Konstas has already played a handful of Tests, while fellow NSW players Will Salzmann and Oliver Davies are still in that same 25-and-under bracket.

Cooper Connolly is another who has tasted international cricket in all three formats at 22 years of age and there's real upside in the young all-rounder, who will continue to ply his trade for Western Australia in red-ball cricket until the next opportunity arises.

South Australian all-rounder Liam Scott has a bright future as well and has become a permanent fixture at Shield level before turning 25.

Even beneath those getting consistent Shield experience under their belt is another crop of youngsters who have played in the under-age teams Chappell spoke about.

Mahli Beardman, Hugh Weibgen, Callum Vidler, Tom Straker, Charlie Anderson and Raf MacMillan have all had exposure on the domestic scene - whether in Shield, Big Bash or List A - after playing in the successful U19s World Cup campaign early last year.

While there's room to be mindful and fearful of what is to come at the highest level, there is no shortage of talent bursting at the scenes, waiting for their golden ticket.

As we saw with Konstas last summer, all it takes is a couple of strong performances at domestic level and the next minute, you're playing a Boxing Day Test.

If one of Australia's all-time greats in Chappell and the current captain in Cummins have faith in the pathway system and where things are headed, so should everyone else.