3 min readUpdated: Feb 18, 2026 04:40 PM IST
The brickbats continue to come for Australia after they meekly bowed out of the 2026 T20 World Cup in the group stage. Australia finished behind the West Indies and Sri Lanka in their group and fast bowling great Glenn McGrath feels that they longer have the aura that they once had, particularly in T20s.
“We said at the start of this World Cup that we were concerned about Australia. All of a sudden, the aura of that Australian team is no longer there when other teams play it… unfortunately, not surprising,” McGrath said on the podcast The Fast Bowling Cartel hosted by him and fellow former Australian pacers Jason Gillespie and Damien Fleming.
Australia were stricken with injuries in this tournament. Pacers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood were ruled while Mitchell Starc has retired from the format. Marsh was not 100 per cent fit which meant that Australia were being led by stand-in skipper Travis Head for much of the tournament. Tim David, Glenn Maxwell and Nathan Ellis missed Australia’s warm-up games due to niggles, with David also missing Australia’s opener against Ireland. Australia won by 67 runs against Ireland in their opening match in the T20 World Cup but then suffered a 23-run loss against Zimbabwe followed by an eight-wicket loss against co-hosts Sri Lanka.
A major point of criticism was the selectors’ decision to initially leave out Steve Smith despite the Test batting great’s incredible form in the BBL prior to the T20 World Cup. By the time he was called up, it was already too late for Australia. McGrath was particularly surprised by how is that Cameron Green is playing ahead of Smith and not bowling at all. “If he’s (Cameron Green) not bowling, then what the selectors are saying is that he’s a better player than Steve Smith. If he’s not bowling, I just can’t see how he justifies a spot in that side,” McGrath said.
Marsh missed the opening two matches due to a testicular injury with Travis head captaining the side for the matches against Ireland and Zimbabwe. Matt Renshaw, who is currently top-scorer for Australia in this T20 World Cup, had played a knock of 65 runs against Zimbabwe and was dropped for the Sri Lanka game. Gillespie called the decision to drop Renshaw as a ‘mind blowing’ decision. “A mind-blowing decision … that makes absolutely no sense,” Gillespie said on the podcast.
Gillespie also questioned the role of all-rounders Cooper Connolly and Green in the team. “At some point you have got to repay the faith of the selectors,” Gillespie said.
“And right now, Cooper Connolly, and I think to a lesser extent Cameron Green, they’re just not repaying the absolute faith that has been given. “At some point you have got to repay the faith of the selectors. And right now, Cooper Connolly, and I think to a lesser extent Cameron Green, they’re just not repaying the absolute faith that has been given,” added Gillespie.
