Nov 17th, 2017

Nov 17th, 2017

Former Australian captain and Channel Nine commentator Ian Chappell has expressed his shock at some of the decisions made by Australian selectors ahead of the first Ashes Test in Brisbane, describing the call to drop Matt Renshaw and Glenn Maxwell as 'very surprising'.

But in his exclusive chat with Wide World of Sports the Australian cricket legend said the biggest surprise of all was saved for who was selected as Australia's wicket-keeper, with Tim Paine set to take the gloves for the first time since 2010.

"That was a huge shock to me."

"They obviously think Tim Paine's the best gloveman.

"I'm surprised, particularly seeing he hasn't kept much, and he hasn't kept at all for Tasmania this season."

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Chappell said that although he wasn't surprised incumbent Matthew Wade missed out on selection, Paine getting the call-up was a head-scratcher.

"I'm not surprised Wade is out.

"I've said all along all this rubbish I've heard about picking a keeper because he can talk, you pick a keeper before you can talk, it's rubbish.

"You pick a keeper first up because he can catch the ball.

"Then if he happens to make runs, and most of the keepers can bat reasonably well anyhow, it's a bonus as that's your first priority - pick the best gloveman."

Matthew Renshaw was lauded for his performances in the baggy green in his first season at the young age of 20, but has been dropped for the in-form Cameron Bancroft.

Chappell said that decision was one of the ones that stuck out to him.

"I'm surprised they haven't stuck with Renshaw. I understand he's not in great form but I thought that he'd shown enough in his Test matches so far.

"The things you're looking for in a young player in Test cricket is good temperament, which I think he's got, and improvement.

"I thought he'd done some things that showed me that he understood that he had some areas that he wants to improve and that he was working on those.

"On that basis I think he was a bit unlucky."

Shaun Marsh earned his eighth recall to the Test side to bat at number six after strong domestic one-day and Shield for, but Chappell said it's not a decision he would have taken if he were in the selectors chair.

"I must say I was very surprised. If I was a selector Shaun Marsh would have to play a full season of Sheffield Shield cricket and get through unscathed before I'd even think about picking him again.

"There's no doubt he's got talent, but you can't be playing one or two and then you're out for three or four, and that's been a constant throughout his career.

"I must admit, I thought they'd pick Bancroft for the middle order and retain Renshaw, so that was a shock to me.

Glenn Maxwell, on the other hand, was unlucky according the former Australian captain.

"Maxwell was unlucky.

"Any time you're the incumbent and you haven't done a lot wrong you're unlucky, but I'm not surprised.

"I thought in Australia with his off spin, Nathan Lyon's an off spinner - if they were going to pick someone who bowled, a batsman who could give you a few overs, they'd pick someone who could bowl seam up rather than the off spin."