Bailey's Bold Response to Waugh: Why Age Won't Dictate Ashes Selection

Waugh had recently urged the selectors to make tougher decisions to allow younger talent to come through, pointing out that several senior players could be featuring in their final Ashes campaign. Usman Khawaja will turn 39 during the series, while Nathan Lyon is 37 and Mitchell Starc is 35.

"George Bailey's going to have to make some tough calls and I think in the past, he hasn't really had the appetite for that at times, so he's going to have to step up to the plate with the other selectors because it is a time of transition," Waugh said before the Australian squad was announced, as quoted from Sen.

"The bowlers are in their 30s and some of the batsmen are getting on as well, but that's natural for every team. You just want to make sure that three or four players don't go out at the same time," he added.

"That leaves a big hole in the team. So, they got to just make sure that it is a transition, but not all at once," he noted.

"I'd like to see the selectors pick the sides, not the players. There's been a lot of players recently picking sides and saying who should be in the team. That's the selectors' job," he said.

When asked about Waugh's comments, Bailey said, "They were not in the selection meeting the players."

"We're aware of the age profile of the team. I'm interested, do they (critics of the age profile) want Starc and Lyon out? There's other ways of attacking that," he added.

"You have to have respect for the fact these guys work incredibly hard to play Test cricket," he noted.

"Give due respect to the guys performing and earned he right to be selected. There would be more names on that list of the players were able to pick," he said.

Meanwhile, Jake Weatherald, who has scored 248 runs for Tasmania in the ongoing Sheffield Shield season, has been handed his maiden Test call-up, edging out Matt Renshaw as speculation continues over who will open alongside Khawaja.

Despite his memorable performance against India last December, Sam Konstas missed out on selection after a difficult start to the domestic season.

Having been dropped earlier in June, Marnus Labuschagne has made his way back into contention, alongside Cameron Green and Beau Webster. Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett have also been included in the squad but are not expected to feature in the starting XI.

Australia's squad for 1st Ashes Test: Steve Smith (captain), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster.

- ANI