Chappell takes aim at Aussie selectors, calls for sweeping changes
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Ian Chappell believes the chickens have come home to roost and says Australia’s selectors must take their share of the blame following Sunday’s historic home Test defeat to Bangladesh.
“If you pick the wrong people in the first place, you can get into trouble,” Chappell told nine.com.au.
Marnus Labuschagne blew two chances at the crease to cement his spot in the Test team. Getty Images
“With their selections, they’ve shown to me that they don’t understand things very well.
“To me, it’s the selectors who’ve got themselves into this problem. Now they’ve got to try and find a way out. But I’m not convinced that they’re good enough to find a way out.”
While Chappell believes Australia would bounce back and likely win the second Test in Mackay that starts on Saturday, the former Australian Test captain insisted Matthew Renshaw must immediately be recalled to the top of the order at the expense of Jake Weatherald as part of a complete rejigging of the top seven, following the nine-wicket defeat in Darwin.
Chappell also said he would strongly consider recalling Sam Konstas to partner Renshaw in a move that would allow Travis Head to return to the middle order.
He also said that selectors didn’t need any more evidence to recognise that Marnus Labuschagne, who hasn’t scored a century since Boxing Day 2024, was struggling at No.3. Chappell said it was time selectors urged Steve Smith to move up to first drop in the batting order.
Lastly, Chappell said that it was ridiculous to play Beau Webster as a batting all-rounder at No.7.
“He’s there to make centuries, and you’re batting him at seven. What’s that? That’s bullshit,” Chappell said.
Australian great Ricky Ponting said on Channel 7’s coverage that he would have turned to the nation’s next generation some time ago.
Not for the first time, Ponting said he would have brought Victorians Campbell Kellaway and Oliver Peake into the squad.
Kellaway, 23, averages 31.52 from 44 first-class matches while Peake, 19, averages 26 from 14 matches.
Ian Chappell believes Australia’s selectors are paying the price for picking the wrong team. Getty
While the Victorian pair are highly regarded, neither averaged more than 26 during the 2025-26 Sheffield Shield season – and it’s why Chappell wasn’t convinced they were the answer yet.
“I think Kellaway and Peake have got talent, but are they ready? I’m not too sure about that,” Chappell said.
“If you look at their Shield record, averages in the 20s shouldn’t get you into an Australian side.”
Nor does Chappell believe South Australian captain Nathan McSweeney is the answer either, saying: “He’s not a Test player.”
Their modest outputs last year come at a time when none of Australia’s top 10 scores in the Sheffield Shield averaged more than 37 during the 2025-26 season.
Jake Weatherald is bowled in the second innings. Getty Images
While Queensland batter Matthew Renshaw (499 runs at 49.90) and NSW all-rounder Jack Edwards (414 runs at 51.75) averaged either side of 50, the fact that so many struggled to average over 40 has seen Cricket Australia call for more batting friendly conditions to be prepared by curators for the 2026-27 season.
CA chief of cricket James Allsopp confirmed last week that the second session on each day would be extended by 15 minutes to run for two hours and 15 minutes. The last session will be reduced to one hour and 45 minutes, with the allowances remaining of up to half an hour extra to be added at the end of the day’s play.
But Chappell didn’t subscribe to the theory that batting had become too difficult in the competition.
“The other thing you’ve got to look at is Shield cricket rarely has Test match bowlers bowling, so the blokes who are knocking on the door should be piling up runs,” he said.
“Now, I read all this business about the Shield tracks are difficult and so on. But if you’re a good player, you’ll still make some decent runs.”
Calls for Renshaw’s return came after Weatherald once again struggled at the top of the order.
After managing just one half century in last summer’s Ashes, the left-hander was caught behind for 23 in a dicey first-up innings on a horror first morning for Australia against Bangladesh, where the home side was left reeling at 4-76.
He then chopped on for a duck in the second innings to leave his Test career hanging by a thread, having averaged just 20.36 from six Tests.
Chappell said Renshaw, 30, was the obvious replacement for Weatherald despite a tough tour of South Africa looming.
Ian Chappell believes Matt Renshaw should return to the Australian Test team. Getty
“Weatherald is not a Test player,” Chappell said. “He should never have been opening the batting.
“I’d play Renshaw ahead of Weatherald.”
While Head scored three centuries at the top of the order last summer against England, Chappell said he thought the back-to-back Allan Border Medallist was best suited in the middle order.
“Head’s a number five. He’s not an opener, really. He would be better pushed back to number five, but I’m not sure they’ve got another opener to come in,” he acknowledged.
One option Chappell floated was recalling Konstas. The 20-year-old wowed the world on a memorable Boxing Day debut against India in 2024 but has since been brought back to Earth.
Chappell, however, admitted bringing Konstas back was risky.
“If you’ve got him [Renshaw] opening with Konstas, at least you’ve got one senior player there,” Chappell said.
Sam Konstas is one player who could come in for Australia. Getty
“Konstas has got to work out how he wants to play it. And if he works that out, then he’s got a chance.
“He was making a lot of runs in a certain way for New South Wales, so I would say that’s the best way for him to bat.
“Konstas might be a bit of a risk. But that’s the thing now because they’ve got themselves into trouble, they’re going to have to take a risk if they want to go somewhere.
“If they stick with what they’ve got, well, they’re just confirming the mistakes they’ve already made.”
Adding to the concerns around the openers is Labuschagne’s continuing rut.
The Queenslander averaged over 60 in 2022, but his career Test average has dropped to 44 after three straight years of averaging less than 35.
Labuschagne’s last Test century was against England in Manchester – some 22 Tests ago.
Ian Chappell believes Steve Smith should move up to first drop in the batting order. AP
Chappell said Labuschagne’s lack of intent concerned him as much as his lack of runs, and it’s why he believes Smith should move up one place in the batting order.
“I mean, he’s the best player on the Australian side by quite a margin,” Chappell said.
“And the same with Joe Root. Why wasn’t he batting at three for England when they needed him there?
“I mean, Australia needs a number three. Labuschagne’s not playing like a number three, and he’s not playing very well. Smith should have been at number three all along because he’s the best player, and he’s equipped to bat at three.
“If his preference is to bat at four, well, that’s too bad, mate. You’re our number three. Smith would succeed at three because he’s a very good player. That’s their other option. Whether Smith will go to three, that’s another matter. But those are the tough decisions selectors have got to make, and they’ve got themselves into this mess because they haven’t been very brave, and I don’t think they’re very good.”
While last week’s Test was just Australia’s second this year, the men’s national side will play 20 Tests in a gruelling international calendar that culminates in next year’s Ashes in England.
