Australian Team Facing an Exodus in The Coming Months?

Australia is known for its mighty sides and consistent selections over the years. The current team too has been strong, achieved quite a bit, but seems to be heading into their final legs. Aaron Finch is done with ODIs, and David Warner has recently hinted at a retirement from Test Cricket after the Ashes in England next year.

The Ashes and World Cups are normally seen as stages where Aussie and English Cricketers make calls on their careers. In 2015, the likes of Shane Watson, Michael Clarke retired, while Rogers and Johnson started their Retirement journey as well.

Now, after the years Ashes and World Cup, Australia are likely to face a similar scenario. David Warner is 36 at the moment. He has already stated his intentions to play the 2024 T20 World Cup and will likely pick and choose between formats in the next year, leading to a retirement in Test Cricket. His retirement will provide Australia with one of their biggest challenges. He has been a fixture at the top for more than a decade, and replacing him with another consistent opener seems a really tough task.

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His opening partner is also likely to take a call on his career in the next year or so. Usman Khawaja is 35 at the moment, and has made a number of comebacks over his career. His fitness has improved vastly through his career and he is now a fixture at the top with David Warner. however, at 35, another poor run of form may see him go the Shaun Marsh way as Khawaja is always under threat with his spot.

Steve Smith is another batter who will start looking at his future next year. He is a player who absolutely loves batting, and often spends his time in the hotels shadow batting as well. For all his love to Cricket, seeing Steve Smith retire seems tough. Smith though is 33 now, and is probably past his best. He is not a regular in T20Is anymore, but remains a vital part of the team in the other two formats. He is unlikely to retire from Tests after the Ashes, but may make some decisions in the shorter formats.

Looking at the bowling attack, Starc and Hazlewood may start their downward spiral too. While Hazlewood is in his best phase now, Starc has been struggling for the past year. He is still bowling very fast, but his consistency has gone missing. 32 now, Starc could pick and choose formats soon. Given his ability in the shorter formats, Test Cricket may make way for him.

A big part of the Australian team though is Nathan Lyon. He has carried the spin bowling department over the last decade. His presence ensured Australia did not feel the need of a group of spinners, given his form and numbers over the years. At 35 though, Australia will slowly have to start looking for alternatives as his longevity is likely to be uncertain in the coming months. He has been among the best off-spinners in the World along with Ravichandran Ashwin, in Test Cricket, but a tough moment seems to be coming soon.

The Test side is not the only one that is likely to see an exodus. Aaron Finch has already moved away, although he is still around for T20Is. At 35, Matthew Wade’s days are also numbered. Wade though, is still pretty fit, and may prove otherwise, as he looks keen to go on for as long as possible. Marcus Stoinis though may not say the same. Stoinis is still struggling with injuries and at 33 it will be interesting to see how much more patience he has on his body. He has provided some vital contributions for Australia, but his time with the team could be reaching an end in the near future.

Along with the mentioned lot, another vital name is Glenn Maxwell. Over the years, while Warner has been a huge factor at the top, Glenn Maxwell proved to be equally important down the order. He is still a really versatile batter and has a lot to offer. With tours to India though, Maxwell has a chance to reignite his Test career. Doing so will be a wonderful feat at his stage, given he may also be winding down soon.