Australian cricket coach Andrew McDonald has stopped short of dropping under-fire batsman Marnus Labuschagne and will not finalise contract discussions until at least April next year, as Test great Ian Healy called for the sacking of selection chairman George Bailey and urged Cricket Australia to enquire about former captain Ricky Ponting’s availability.
Speaking after the series defeat in South Africa, McDonald said Labuschagne’s position would be discussed. “He’s had some opportunities that he’s missed on this tour in particular, so that’ll be something in the next week or so that we’ll get our heads around,” McDonald said. “We believed in Marn for this tour. We’ll have to reassess that as we move forward ... there’s still a very good cricketer there.”
He hinted Nathan Lyon was likely to keep his place for the home Tests against New Zealand and confirmed Steve Smith had volunteered to play once he recovers from a neck injury. “We are planning for him to play against New Zealand in Perth,” McDonald said of Smith.
The coach said he was not ready to extend his deal, which expires after next year’s ODI World Cup. “There has been some discussion, so I won’t hide away from that,” McDonald said. “But my firm focus is we’ve got, I think, 10 Test matches in the next three months, so I’m looking at that, and we’re always continuing to discuss what everything looks like with every staff member.”
The series loss in South Africa was Australia’s second defeat in 16 contests since Pat Cummins became captain in 2021-22. The team will need to win by a clear margin against New Zealand and win one or two Tests in India, depending on other results, to qualify for a third consecutive World Test Championship final.
Healy, who kept wicket in 119 Tests, said Cricket Australia should begin preparing for McDonald’s departure. “What I’m hearing is they are looking at extending the coach... but what I’d be doing is enquiring about the availability of several. Can we get Ricky Ponting?” Healy told SEN Queensland. “He (McDonald) is in the gun. I don’t mind one more year, McDonald taking us through to the Ashes. If things don’t improve, then I would have worked on a high-profile player to carry our next generation forward as head coach.”
Healy also said selection chairman George Bailey should be sacked, describing some selections as “mind-boggling”, including the recall of Nic Maddinson as an opener despite his limited red-ball cricket.
McDonald defended Cameron Green’s difficulties against spin, saying the all-rounder was “definitely taken away from it by the situation and scenario of the game” but expressed confidence in his ability.
The coach and selectors will review the South Africa tour soon. Cricket Australia chief Todd Greenberg last week indicated talks had started on extending McDonald’s contract, but the coach is focused on the coming Test matches.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The outcome of the contract and selection review will shape the leadership of Australian Test cricket, affecting team selection and performance in the Ashes and World Test Championship.
- Healy’s public call for change puts pressure on Cricket Australia to act or defend its current leadership at a time when the team’s batting has struggled.
- The decisions on Labuschagne, Smith, Lyon and the coaching staff will determine Australia’s competitiveness in upcoming series against New Zealand and India.
Background
Australia’s Test team suffered its second series defeat in 16 matches under captain Pat Cummins, losing in South Africa and leaving its World Test Championship qualification in doubt. Coach Andrew McDonald is contracted until after the 2027 ODI World Cup but has not extended, while selection chairman George Bailey faces criticism from former players over recent selection choices.
Key Perspectives
Andrew McDonald: says he will not rush contract extension talks until April, wants to assess Labuschagne after state cricket, and expects Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith to play against New Zealand.
Ian Healy: argues Cricket Australia should sack selection chairman George Bailey and approach Ricky Ponting as next coach, saying McDonald is “in the gun”.
Todd Greenberg: indicated last week that talks had started on extending McDonald’s contract.
What to Watch
- The review of the South Africa tour by McDonald, Bailey and Tony Dodemaide in the coming weeks.
- Labuschagne’s performance in the Sheffield Shield, which could determine his Test future.
- McDonald’s decision on his contract extension after the anniversary Test in March and the April-May review period.
Checked
11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedMcDonald has stopped short of declaring Labuschagne will be dropped for the home Tests against New Zealand.The Age - Latest News: “Australia’s coach Andrew McDonald has stopped short of declaring Marnus Labuschagne will be dropped for the home Tests against New Zealand”
- SupportedMcDonald will not finalise contract discussions until at least April next year.The Age - Latest News: “says he will not finalise contract discussions with Cricket Australia until at least April next year.”
- SupportedHealy called for selection chair George Bailey to be sacked.The Age - Latest News: “Test great Ian Healy said it was time for Cricket Australia to start preparing for his departure by approaching Ricky Ponting to take the coaching job, and that selection chairman George Bailey should be sacked.”
- SupportedHealy urged Cricket Australia to enquire about Ricky Ponting’s availability.The Age - Latest News: ““What I’m hearing is they are looking at extending the coach... but what I’d be doing is enquiring about the availability of several. Can we get Ricky Ponting?, Healy told SEN Queensland on Monday.”
- SupportedMcDonald said Labuschagne’s missed opportunities on the tour would be discussed in the next week or so.The Age - Latest News: ““He’s had some opportunities that he’s missed on this tour in particular, so that’ll be something in the next week or so that we’ll get our heads around,” McDonald said.”
- SupportedHealy said, “He (McDonald) is in the gun. I don’t mind one more year, McDonald taking us through to the Ashes.”The Age - Latest News: ““He (McDonald) is in the gun. I don’t mind one more year, McDonald taking us through to the Ashes.”
- SupportedMcDonald said, “We are planning for him to play against New Zealand in Perth,” referring to Smith.The Age - Latest News: ““We are planning for him to play against New Zealand in Perth,” McDonald said of Smith.”
- Partly supportedAustralia’s South Africa series loss was its second defeat in 16 contests since Cummins became captain.The Age - Latest News: “the South Africa tour, which brought the Test side’s second series defeat in 16 contests since Pat Cummins became captain in 2021-22.”
- SupportedAustralia needs a clear-margin win against New Zealand and one or two Test wins in India, depending on other results, to qualify for a third consecutive WTC final.The Age - Latest News: “Australia will need to win by a clear margin against New Zealand and win one or two Tests in India – depending on other results – to qualify for a third consecutive WTC final.”
- SupportedHealy described selections as “mind-boggling,” including Maddinson’s recall as an opener despite his limited red-ball cricket.The Age - Latest News: “Those “mind-boggling” selections Healy referred to included the shock decision to recall Nic Maddinson as an opening batsman in the first two Tests in South Africa, despite the left-hander having not played a red-ball game since March 2025.”
- SupportedMcDonald said Green was “definitely taken away from it by the situation and scenario of the game.”The Age - Latest News: ““So I think to critique his method, he was definitely taken away from it by the situation and scenario of the game.”