Former Australia legend concerned about the lack of young fast bowlers after Australia’s early exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup

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Former Australian fast-bowling great Glenn McGrath believes Australia’s biggest challenge in the coming years will be identifying and developing the next generation of fast bowlers. His comments come after Australia’s disappointing group-stage exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where the team struggled without several of its key pace bowlers.

Australia went into the tournament without their experienced trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins. Starc had retired from T20 internationals last year, while Hazlewood and Cummins were ruled out due to injuries. Their absence exposed a lack of depth in Australia’s pace attack as the team failed to progress beyond the group stage.

Speaking at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai, McGrath pointed out that several bowlers used during the tournament were experienced players rather than emerging youngsters. Bowlers like Scott Boland, Michael Neser and Jhye Richardson have been around the domestic circuit for a long time, which means Australia is not currently replacing older players with a strong new generation of quicks.

McGrath believes players such as Nathan Ellis could lead Australia’s T20I bowling attack in the future, although he described Ellis as more of a defensive bowler. Young talents like allrounder Jack Edwards and fast bowler Mahli Beardman have recently made their T20I debuts and may become important options as Australia builds towards the next T20 World Cup in 2028.

The former fast bowler also highlighted the role of franchise leagues in preparing young cricketers for international cricket. According to McGrath, tournaments such as the Indian Premier League and the Big Bash League give players valuable exposure by allowing them to compete alongside some of the best players in the world. He pointed to Cooper Connolly as an example after the youngster impressed during the recent Big Bash season.

McGrath also stressed the importance of experienced players helping guide the transition. Senior figures like Steve Smith and Travis Head could play a key role in supporting younger players as they adapt to the international stage.

The former pacer also questioned some of Australia’s selection decisions during the T20 World Cup. Despite strong performances in the Big Bash, Smith spent much of the tournament on the sidelines, while Matt Renshaw, who had scored 66 against Zimbabwe earlier in the competition, was left out of a crucial match against Sri Lanka.

According to McGrath, a combination of injuries, selection choices and inconsistent performances ultimately led to Australia’s disappointing campaign. He admitted that while he expected Australia to reach the Super Eight stage, their early elimination from the tournament was both disappointing and concerning for the future.