Australian cricket great Ian Healy has questioned George Bailey’s influence within the team, after the chairman of selectors was spotted sitting with players in the dugout.
Bailey, a former Aussie T20 captain who recently retired in 2020, was appointed the new selection chief in August 2021, taking over from Trevor Hohns’ lengthy stint.
But former captain Ian Healy has questioned why someone like Bailey would be sitting among the players throughout the dismal T20 World Cup campaign and in Thursday night’s one dayer against England.
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“It’s very interesting,” Healy said on his SEN show.
“George Bailey can throw well, he can provide an extra coach around the traps … but he’s not an extra coach is he? He’s a selector.
“I think in-form players wouldn’t mind (having him next to them); I think down on form players would hate it and have to start acting.
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“I think injured-type players carrying niggles small or maybe a little bit larger wouldn’t be keen to have the chairman of selectors so close.
“The reserves in that dug out, are they acting?
“If the acting isn’t good … they could be exposed.
“The current mood in that team might change … that might be creating stress with the selector so upfront and so close.”
Healy said given there were controversial calls made during the T20 World Cup campaign, where Australia missed out on the finals, he wasn’t sure how players would feel with Bailey sitting beside them.
“We swapped (Mitchell) Starc for (Kane) Richardson at a time when we were after wickets. We kept Steve Smith out (of the T20 World Cup),” he said.
“We let out of form players stay in that team in that T20 World Cup and that’s all while the chairman of selectors was in the dug out and very, very close to the personality of the squad.
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“If he asks you a question (players would go), ‘alright, what have I got to tell him?’
Bailey was filmed having a laugh with star duo Warner and Marnus Labuschagne during Thursday night’s game one victory over England.
Fellow SEN panellist, and current Brisbane Lions captain, Dayne Zorko compared Bailey’s presence in the dug out to having his list manager on the interchange bench.
“It’s very strange – especially if you’re a person on the fringe or not really getting a game,” he said on SEN.
“It would be like our list manager sitting on the bench when I come off and I haven’t had a good patch. He’s just looking at me (and I say) ‘Oh I can do better!’.”
The Australian cricket team is reportedly struggling with an “apparent divide” between current players and the nation’s greats.
It was reported captain Pat Cummins has met with Adam Gilchrist this week to “cool any potential tensions” since ex-coach Justin Langer was pushed out the door in February.
