The T20 World Cup proved Australia can’t win it all, but the country’s appetite for success means the spotlight is on the side after a dismal campaign.
Mitchell Marsh’s men were bundled out in the Super Eights after losses to Afghanistan and India. That followed failure to make it out of the Super Twelves in 2022 when hosting the tournament. The year before that, Australia won it.
Australia’s inconsistency in the tournament is a sign of the unpredictability of T20 cricket. “It’s a bit on the day,” former Australian captain Mark Taylor described the format on Nine’s Wide World of Sports.
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However, there’s no leniency with criticism when it comes to international cricket and Aussie great Mark Waugh has called for change in the coaching position.
“We need a reboot in T20 cricket,” Waugh said on Fox Sports’ Back Page Live.
“With the amount of talent we’ve got in the squad and around the squad, we should do a lot better than that.
“I reckon we need a reboot by having a different coach for T20 cricket, or 50-over cricket (as well) compared to Test cricket.
“I think a fresh set of eyes, someone in there to come in and make some change.”
Since taking over the Australian head coaching role in 2022, Andrew McDonald has ticked off an achievement list that’d be the envy of many.
There’s been a Test championship victory and an ODI World Cup title. However, both T20 World Cup campaigns have left much to be desired.
Some selection decisions have raised eyebrows with Jake Fraser-McGurk a reserve in the squad and Mitchell Starc not picked during the Afghanistan loss.
“We’ve got a lot of good players who didn’t play in that tournament,” Waugh added.
“Jake Fraser-McGurk should have been in the squad, because you just have him there, ready, locked and loaded to go if you need him, but he wasn’t there.
“The non-selection of Mitchell Starc against Afghanistan was crucial, and even Josh Inglis not getting a game.”
McDonald has previously said it should be one coach due to “continuity of messaging” and being able to manage which format is a priority.
However, the two coach system is becoming all the rave with a number full member nations taking that approach.
England – Matthew Mott (white ball) and Brendon McCullum (Tests):
Mott is under pressure to keep his job after another failure in a short form major tournament. However, he does have runs on the board having won the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
McCullum has transformed the identity of England’s Test squad but a 4-1 loss to India recently has led to significant change.
Pakistan – Gary Kirsten (white ball) and Jason Gillespie (Tests):
A new combination for the country and it hasn’t started well after a dreadful World Cup. The side were bundled out in the group stage after a shock loss to the USA. However, the Kirsten-Gillespie team is only fresh, having started in April.
Before that Mohammed Hafeez took over as interim head coach in all formats. He had also replaced Mickey Arthur as director of cricket. That announcement came before the summer Test series in Australia where Pakistan were whitewashed. They then lost 4-1 in a T20I series in New Zealand. He was removed two months into both roles after a charge of chairman.
India – Rahul Dravid (previously all formats):
Dravid ended his three-year stint with the T20 World Cup win. Over time he coached India to a World Test championship final in 2023 and an ODI World Cup final that same year. Both matches were lost to Australia.
The Indian cricket great cited the packed schedule that comes with a full-time role meant he wasn’t reapplying. Gautam Gambhir is likely to replace him with India looking to carry on with an all-format coach.
Afghanistan – Jonathan Trott (all formats):
The rising cricketing nation has gone with one sole coach with Trott leading them to an upset over Australia in the T20 World Cup along with wins over Pakistan, England, Sri Lanka and Netherlands in the ODI tournament.
Trott hasn’t had to contend with a schedule that involves many Test matches, only coaching three during his reign. Afghanistan have lost all three of their Tests with Trott in charge.
South Africa – Rob Walter (white ball) and Shukri Conrad (Tests):
The Proteas reached their first ever final of an ICC tournament at the T20 World Cup. Ultimately, they choked.
But it signals how successful their T20 program has become after their governing body decided to prioritise that over Test cricket.
Both Walter and Conrad were appointed on four-year contracts in January 2021. South Africa had previously tried a similar structure more than a decade ago when Russell Domingo was in charge of T20s and Gary Kirsten had control of ODI and Test cricket. Domingo became the all format coach six months later.
Sri Lanka – Chris Silverwood (previously all formats):
After two years in charge, Silverwood resigned following the T20 World Cup. He cited spending more time with family as his reason for leaving.
Silverwood won the Asia Cup in both white ball formats under his control but performed horribly in both World Cups. In Test series, they’ve only beaten Afghanistan, Ireland and Bangladesh under his stewardship. They did have a drawn home series with Australia early in his tenure.
West Indies – Daren Sammy (white ball) and Andre Coley (Tests):
The pair took over in May 2023. The sleeping giant of world cricket have been disappointing for well over two decades now and it didn’t start well for Sammy when the West Indies failed to qualify for the ODI World Cup thanks to a loss to Scotland just over a month into the job.
But there’s been some green shoots under new leadership. The Windies managed to make it to the Super Eights in the T20 World Cup and there was also that famous Test victory over Australia at the Gabba.
Bangladesh – Chandika Hathurusingha (all formats)
Started his second stint in charge in 2023. Made the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup but lost all three matches. Bangladesh failed to make inroads at the ODI tournament, finishing eighth.
There’s been four Test series’ with wins over Ireland and Afghanistan along with a draw to New Zealand and loss to Sri Lanka.
NZ – Gary Stead (all formats)
Been in charge of the Black Caps since 2018. The Kiwis were very unlucky to have not won the 2019 ODI World Cup.
He coached New Zealand to an inaugural World Test championship in 2021. They also made the T20 World Cup final that year, losing to Australia.
They made the semi finals of the 2022 T20 edition and ODI World Cup last year.
The Black Caps were bitterly disappointing at the recent T20 World Cup though, failing to make it out of the group stage.
Zimbabwe – Justin Sammons (all formats)
Zimbabwe were the only full member nation to not make the T20 World Cup with Sammons appointed while it was underway.
The Chevrons have failed to make the last three out of four World Cups in ODIs and T20s.
Ireland – Heinrich Malan (all formats)
Malan took on the role in 2022. He extended that deal in May 2024 which will run until mid-2027. The coach was in charge when Ireland defeated England in the 2022 T20 World Cup. Ireland also won a Test for the first time when they defeated Afghanistan in March.
They did miss out on the 2023 ODI World Cup though. Ireland were disappointing in the latest iteration of the T20 World Cup, coming last in the group stage with Canada finishing ahead of them.