Ian Chappell slams captain Bailey’s selection as ‘handicap’ to Oz team

Former Australia captain Ian Chappell has blasted the selectors' decision to pick George Bailey as the team's T20 skipper, and added that the Tasmanian's selection is a handicap to the team, since it is halting more deserving players' selection in the team.

Chappell said Victorian trio Glenn Maxwell, Cameron White and David Hussey all deserve places in the side ahead of middle-order batsman Bailey.

Chappell, who is a prominent media commentator, wants to see Hussey recalled to the lineup for Saturday's Group B clash with West Indies on Saturday.

Bailey made his debut as player and captain of the national T20 side in February 2012 and averages 25.00 in eight games with a highest score of 42 against Pakistan in Dubai earlier this month.

"They (Australia) are handicapping themselves when they are leaving David Hussey out of the lineup" News.com.au quoted Chappell, as saying to a cricket website.

"And the handicap has come about because they have picked a captain and then they have picked a team around the captain and that is not the Australian way of doing it," he added.

"When you are fitting George Bailey in and one of David Hussey, Glenn Maxwell or Cameron White is going to miss out, three pretty dynamic middle-order players, it's a mistake and it's a handicap for Australia," he said.

Chappell added: "There is only one way around it but that's not going to happen. The other reason it doesn't make a lot of sense is because Australia have struggled a bit against spin bowling and you have David Hussey who is a very, very good player of spin bowling and a dynamic player who can hit sixes."

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