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Bailey prefers split cricket coaching role

3 minute read

Australia's chief cricket selector George Bailey believes there will be advantages of splitting the coaching role between red and white-ball teams.

GEORGE BAILEY.
GEORGE BAILEY. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

George Bailey has given the strongest indication yet he would prefer a split coaching model, with Australia's chief selector outlining the issues of juggling the roles.

Coaching is set to be the hottest topic come the end of the Ashes with Justin Langer's contract up in June.

The spotlight was shone back on the issue on Tuesday when Test captain Pat Cummins insisted it was not the time to discuss Langer's future following the Ashes win.

Langer himself also shied away from talk on the matter following the MCG victory, while Cricket Australia have long stated it will only look into it at the end of the summer.

Also expected to be discussed is whether one coach can take charge of both red and white-ball teams, after a summer in which Langer has won a T20 World Cup and Ashes.

Australia are expected to be in Pakistan and New Zealand at the same time in March, with Tests in Asia and three Twenty20s across the Tasman.

A similar issue was going to crop up last summer before the tour to South Africa was abandoned, where Andrew McDonald was meant to take charge.

Langer was defiant last week when asked whether he had the passion to continue coaching in all three formats, replying only with "yes".

But Bailey believes a split-model could be the way forward.

"I think that's always something that could be looked at," Bailey said.

"Depending on who the coach is, who the captain is, what your sort of mix is across teams of how many players go across formats.

"All those things - which are constantly changing - they probably give you a different answer as to where you might go with that.

"How busy the schedules are, what World Cups are coming up? All of those things provide different challenges.

"But I do think we're heading down ... the sacrifices made with quarantine and on top of time away have got to be acknowledged."

McDonald would likely be one white-ball option if Australia split its coaches, while Trevor Bayliss is currently working with the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash.

Bayliss was a heavy proponent of the split-coaching model while in charge of England, despite overlooking both their red and white-ball teams.

When asked earlier this month whether he had considered a white-ball role with Australia, Bayliss said he hadn't but could still see advantages of a split system.

"These days it is more to do with the amount of time spent away from home," Bayliss said.

"If you are in the Australian, English or Indian set up, it is relentless the amount of cricket played.

"It's not all it's cracked up to be when you do it year on year. That is the question organisations have to handle: Can it be done all the time?

"But it gets down to win-loss ratio and winning. And Australia have just won the T20 World Cup, so they must be doing something right."

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