Ashes 2015: Australia’s five-point plan after defeat to England

Australia are in a bit of a pickle.

Not only have they lost the Ashes with a game to spare but they are also on the hunt for a new captain after Michael Clarke confirmed he will step down following the final Test at The Oval.

So, what can the Baggy Greens do to arrest their slump? Here is our five-point plan, which includes giving their best batsman the top job and asking a veteran to stick around…

Make Steven Smith captain

There are few cast-iron certainties in sport but Steve Smith succeeding Michael Clarke as Australia skipper is probably one of them. Captaincy appeared to bring the best out of Smith over the winter as he stood in for the injured Michael Clarke against India; the Sydney shot-maker plundering three hundreds and a fifty after taking the reins following the first Test, a game in which he has also reached three figures.

The Baggy Greens seemed a vibrant side under Smith as they recorded a 2-0 series win, with then-Test rookie Josh Hazlewood impressing with 12 wickets from the final three games of the series. At just 26 years of age, Smith could be at the helm of Australian cricket for decade, perhaps giving him a chance to build the sort of all-conquering side another New South Wales star, Steve Waugh, constructed in the 1990s.

Inject some fresh blood

Australia like their thirtysomethings – they have nine of them in their 17-man Ashes squad – so perhaps it’s time to freshen things up with youth. Cameron Bancroft (22) could be a candidate to replace the outgoing Chris Rogers at the top of the order, having notched three hundreds and three fifties in last term’s Sheffield Shield competition, while middle-order man Joe Burns (25) will be hopeful of a recall after nabbing fifties against India in Sydney in January.

Big things are also expected of Travis Head (21), an elegant left-hander from Adelaide, and Melbourne-born Peter Handscomb, who is currently contracted to Gloucestershire. Bowling-wise, the Baggy Greens can all-upon paceman Sean Abbott (23) and, if they can keep fit, James Pattinson (25) and Nathan Coulter-Nile (27). With this crop, allied to Smith, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Mitchell Starc, Peter Nevill and Hazlewood, it’s not all doom and gloom for an Ashes-less Australia.

Ask Rogers to delay his retirement

Experience is often vital in a period of transition and one old head worth persevering with may be Rogers. Sure, the 37-year-old opener has already announced his plans to pack in international cricket after The Ashes but could his arm be twisted after his excellent displays in England?

Rogers has one century and three fifties across the four Tests so far and even though he and Warner appear to be chalk and cheese as people – one quiet and downbeat, the other much louder – they dovetail perfectly at the crease. In their 40 innings together, Rogers and Warner average 49.20, having secured eight century stands and seven partnerships of over 50. It took Rogers a while to nail down a spot in the Test side – he only made his second appearance at the age of 35 – but you feel there is more left in the tank.

Learn to bat on bowler-friendly tracks

Australia’s batting technique has been found wanting in England, with too many players unable to deal with the moving ball. Former Baggy Greens skipper Ricky Ponting reckons that is down in large part to the state of pitches in his homeland but perhaps it’s because Australia’s batsmen aren’t getting enough experience in England.

The days of Mark and Steve Waugh spending their winters playing for Essex and Kent respectively are long gone, with the current generation of Aussies often flitting in and out of the English domestic scene if appearing at all. Sure, the riches of T20 cricket are hard to refuse but a lengthy period playing on green seamers for the likes of Bancroft, Burns and Head could make them better-rounded cricketers and improve Australia’s chances on the road.

Don’t panic

To be fair, I’d probably be panicking if my side had lost their last two Tests within three days but Australia need only look back 19 months to know how quickly cricket can change. At that point, it was they who were on top of the world, having shellacked England 5-0 thanks to some searing Mitchell Johnson bowling, and Cook's charges who were down in the dumps.

If recent Ashes series have told us anything – the 2010-11 tussle aside – it’s that the home team wins, usually pretty convincingly. So it may be best to see how Australia fare at home to Antipodean rivals New Zealand and inconsistent but talented West Indies this autumn before we write them off completely. Some tweaking under a new captain and all could be well. I said could…

Coverage of the fifth Ashes Test from The Oval begins at 10am on Thursday, August 20, live on Sky Sports Ashes HD. You can also watch the fifth Test with a NOW TV Sports Day Pass. Plus, our Ashes Events Centre - the best of Sky Cricket's analysis at your fingertips - is available on our iPad app.