Both Warne and McGrath played only a handful of games before they were promoted into the Test arena and quickly adjusted to the water. Young players such as Tait, Johnson, Cullen and Watson have swum on the domestic scene for at least three seasons without extended promotions in whites. The quartet is an option along with Brett Lee, who grows in significance despite a poor summer, for the first post-champions Test. Add in Stuart Clark, the bowler of the Ashes series, and the six viable options will have played a total of 76 Tests, with Lee accounting for 59. Is anyone else frightened?

Stuart Clark has been outstanding, but by the first Test of 2007-08 will have played only nine games © Getty Images

Australia will miss the experience of Warne and McGrath more than their world-beating statistics, which might give players such as Stuart MacGill, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz hope of a recall. It might help at the beginning but a longer outlook would be sensible after the periods of Ashes-induced short-sightedness. The clutch of mid-30s players, who have served incredibly well, has blocked the passage of the younger brigade and the ride could be bumpy. It is good news for India.

After the feast comes the should-have-thought-about-this-before famine. Remarkably, Merv Hughes, the Australia selector, said the day before Warne announced his farewell that it would be irresponsible to let a group of players go at once and they hadn't "nutted out" a succession plan. Three have already left and after the elongated and emotional celebration at the WACA more could be on the way. Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, might plead for them to stay.

Warne and McGrath deserved to pick their times and have done it when supporters are wishing for more instead of less. Of Australia's greybeards they are the ones who have the right to stay longest. The nation will miss and thank them over the next two Tests while wondering how they can be replaced.

Possible Test squad for 2007-08 Phil Jaques, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke, Shane Watson, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson, Dan Cullen, Shaun Tait.

Surely Rogers from WA is more deserving of a place in the test series against India than is Jacques. Over the past three years Rogers has been outstanding and Jacques figures this year show that the pressure has got to him. Ryan Campbell, former WA wicketkeeper, is one of many who believes Jacques technique will not hold up at test level.

Watson will not make the test team either as he has neither the ability or endurance to play at the higher level. I believe his former teammate in Tasmania is a far better prospect on the bowling front.

Australia seem to follow a process where 'young' promising cricketers are first given caps in one-day internationals and assessed for their potential. they did that with gilly, bracken, clarkey and hussey as well. Johnson seems to be a good investment and ofcourse only time will tell whether he can make that the step up in test cricket.
i am sure Gilly would retire from one-dayers after the World cup and that sets the stage for his understudy to take over atleast in that format. hilditch would have to plead with gilly to stay for the tests until the end of next summer.
As regards with replacing Warne, australia need to ask themselves, how many matchwinning spinners they have actually had in-between Benaud and Warne. its gonna be a long-hard search and they can't kid themselves into believing that they have a ready-made replacement right away. stuey mcgill seems to be an answer atleast for the next 2 yrs.
To summarize, Australia will still be world beaters but probably not ruthlessly invincible.

Peter, please, tell me - how on Earth do the cases of Healy and M Waugh deserve comparison to Boon? Boon was dropped when still probably at the peak of his power - Healy and Waugh had been on the way down for a year and, with hindsight, I bet both wish they'd retired earlier. Yet the trouble is, there's simply no way of predicting when someone's going to stop performing - no way at all - and a cricketer (or the selectors) has to take a chance - he has to risk going on too long or he has to risk cutting himself off in his prime. If he goes for the latter he will never know what might have been, if the former he'll have to live with it forever. Just ask Thommo how that feels.

With Boon, Waugh, McGrath, Warne, etc. they've gone while still at their peak, albeit Boon without the dignity he deserved. With some others (such as Healy and Jnr Waugh) they've gone on a bit too long.

One other thing - you mention the rebel-tours, briefly, but I think you could make a genuine case for them being the principal reason for the barrenness of the 1984-1989 time. How much better would Australia have been with Wessels, Hughes, Yallop, Hogg and Alderman available throughout? Weaker than in the Chappell-Marsh-Lillee era, yes, but surely not anywhere near as bad as they ended-up being.

Oh - and as an Englishman, if Daniel Cullen really is the best spinner Australia have got in the pipeline we'll sure as be laughing in 2009!!!

I think the lineup that would be best for 2007\08 would be Gillespie, Clark, Tait, Johnson, Watson - and I still think that the latter three are just as likely to be David Gilberts as Merv Hugheses or Geoff Lawsons.

i'm surprised that u havent included macgill and gillespie in the squad. sure they're both over 30 but they have over 400 test wickets between, and a bowling line-up reading lee, gillespie, clark and macgill is still quite formidable. having said that, at least one out of tait, johnson and cullen need to thrown in to the deep end pretty soon to see if they can float.

Replace Cullen with Magilla and add dizzy if he is bowls well for Yorkshire next year, and you've got a pretty damn good squad. Prepare some bouncing wickets and I dare say it, India will struggle. Its not all doom and gloom.

Hi Peter,

Your possible test squad looked good except that Stuey MacGill is a must have selection. He has never let Australia down & I believe could continue Australia's dominance over "leg spin shy" nations.

The sooner people realise that Brett Lee cannot bowl at Test level, the better. His atrocious record suggests that opposition teams simply do not fear the fact that he bowls 150kph. He very rarely pitches anything in the danger zone and batsmen, EVEN tailenders are feasting on short, wide rubbish and continually send his deliveries to the boundary. How anyone can suggest his repeated inclusion with an overall bowling average of 32 (and rising), and an average in the current series of 58 is beyond me. Try suggesting an in form, DECENT bowler waiting in the wings or even an old hand who can land the ball in the danger zone such as Jason Gillespie. Oh I suppose Gillespie is a pensioner at the age of 31.....but isn't "Wayward" Lee 30?

I think you've written off Jason Gillespie, One of the most adaptive bowlers of the era!..

That possible squad looks good to me. In fact, it looks like a World Champion side to me. Why is it that the press continue to try to defy reasoning behind all Australian decisions. You all act like you know cricket. We can tell that you can't. Please come back and re-read this article after our next couple test series. As we continue to beat everyone in the world soundly.

The Indians might be the only team that would actually miss Warne. But McGrath's departure would defi be a relief for he has troubled them a lot over the past.

Why is C. White continually overlooked as an option? He has a very handy batting average, can take 1st class wickets, is a proven thinker (successfully captaining an unspectacular Victorian team) and can replace Warne in slips? He is young enough to become a very good spinner (look at McGill).

Peter, I sometimes wonder where all the Phil Jacques applause emanates. As others have pointed out, he is not definitely the first bloke in line. As to why we keep fingering Langer for the flick, other than his eggshell head, beats me too. Up until this innings we had a big beefy Qld'er standing down the other end trying for all he was worth to land a salmon on the end of a long line. The only thing saving him was the inability to hit anything. Ignore his past two innings and Hayden was in pretty dire form. Lucky for him his stars came right after the series was dead and buried. Talk about winning Lotto.

Interesting article Peter. Perhaps it would be worth your while to plumb the Test fixturing for next year as well. With such a huge gap to the next Test series against Sri Lanka the difficulty of planning successions has surely been magnified.

I'm getting increaingly tired of reading about all this worry and negativity regarding the future of the Australian cricket team. I think we should all be excited about the future and look forward to seeing some young players step up from the domestic scene. As for not planning for the future, what would the solution have been? You can't drop players like McGrath and Warne to provide an opportunity for a younger player.

I am glad to see the name of Phil Jacques, he would definitely fill the gap as the openner. I strongly feel that the selecters should start looking for a replacment for Gilly. I feel he should start cut down. His gap will be big gap to fill. I still feel that Cameroon White should be given an opportunity. If the spin guru Jenner can work on him I am sure he could fill the gap.

My comments would probably be a digression, but India have similar problems coming up, and they are not half as prepared as Australia are. Tendulkar, Ganguly, Kumble are all thinking of retirement, I dare say. While Dravid and Laxman are Ozzie-tormentors-in-chief, there's not much else after that...

One big name missing from your team Peter (don't think anyone else has picked up on this yet - what about Andrew Symonds ? I think he has well and truly put his hand up for years to come !

write symonds off at your own Peril since he was recalled he has looked far more comftable and happier with his own game than he ever did in his first and seccond test stints, his batting has improved with a wel made 20 and a supurb 156 and his bowling is always handy! ohh and his efforts in the field he is worth 30 runs in the field, all he has to do is pick up one wicket and make 30-70 each game and he retains his spot!

i also belive Tait is the real deal, but will his back hold up? hamstrin injurys already and the quiet word is they are back related! tait clark lee mcgill symondswould be a handy line up all have their individuallity and if they foil could become formidable, johnson IS the best left arm bowler in australia but i would rather a adam grifith or shaun magofin in the running, somone who can move the ball sideways and off of the seam, like a mgrath or clark!

cameron white, if this lad is not selected in the world cup suqad there is something wrong! four lads that will play a significant roll is retaining the world cup, given their chances, cosgrove white tait and smokey andy bichel. cosgrove whit and tait to see if they are the real deal and andy bichel al though he is old he is a great bowler and handy lower order bat.

one last issue, dan cullen! get off his case he is nothing compared to warne or for that matter macgill but he also isnt a leg spinner... and then u compare him to off spin bowlers (bowlers being the key word murali) cullen is up there. but i would have my money on cullen bailey he will win more games for south australia than cullen will over there careers.

cheers guys

You will need the experience of Jason Gillespie to tutor Mitchel Johnson for the next two to three years.Don,t loose the skill of a great bowler