Melbourne, November 23: Australia has suffered three Test series defeats against India, South Africa and England in past 13 months and cricket great Shane Warne said the national team could face more inconsistency if they don't ''revitalise the side with young blood''.
''You have to say the Australian side has been in a transition phase but there has to be a line that when does that transition phase stop?'' Warne said.
Ricky Ponting's team dropped from number 1 to fourth in the ICC Test rankings.
''I wouldn't say Australia is the fourth best side in the world but the way the side has played of recent times you are going to have to be patient,'' he was quoted as saying by the 'Advertiser'. ''But there comes a time when you say okay, are these guys in the side going to see us through in the long term or is there an opportunity to get some new blood in the side?'' Warne said the likes of opener Phillip Hughes, leg-spinning allrounder Steven Smith and all-rounder Moises Henriques as youngsters who should be introduced to the side sooner rather than later.
''We need to say 'what is our future?','' Warne said. ''If we're going to stay in a transition side and stay patient with them, we need these guys to get the opportunity to play some Test cricket. ''Pick them at the right time. What we don't want is to lose four or five of us like we lost (after the 2006-07 Ashes) once again. We don't want to lose a couple of them.''
-----Agencies