Australian cricket stars Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden have relentlessly pushed for changes in the playing XI following Australia’s most shocking Test defeat in history against Bangladesh. The series opener in Darwin saw the travelling Asian team stun the full-strength Australian side inside four days and by nine wickets to register their first Test win Down Under, and second overall against Australia in this format. However, head coach Andrew McDonald has urged patience with the ageing squad and those under the radar, including opener Jake Weatherald and former number one Test batter Marnus Labuschagne. &nbsp;Players like veteran Nathan Lyon, who picked just one wicket on his return to the Test team, and Cameron Green, who almost saved his place with a second-innings hundred, are also under scrutiny; McDonald seeks better player management in the quest to make a comeback in this two-match Test series. The second Test starts on August 22 in Mackay.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kris-srikkanth-rejects-eoin-morgan-csk-head-coach-michael-hussey-1786945988718">‘Won’t Accept Him’: Kris Srikkanth rejects Ashwin’s pick Eoin Morgan for CSK coach role</a> &nbsp;"I'm the last one to want to make change," Ponting said in a statement to Channel Seven after the first Test concluded. "As a captain or as a player, I wanted to keep a group together, so it has to get to a bad point before I start saying you've got to leave somebody out. &nbsp;"But there's been enough evidence for me coming here (Darwin) to suggest they weren't going to lose anything, or much at all, by starting that regeneration, bringing in another opener, bringing in someone at three... I think that has to happen,” he continued. &nbsp;While Travis Head also fared poorly, getting bowled out identically to Hasan Mahmud in two innings, Weatherald’s technical flaws and Labuschagne’s stubbornness to not learn from his mistakes put them at the forefront of any changes, should it happen. &nbsp;"The 1-2-3, as Ricky and I will tell you, are absolutely fundamental to the set-up of a batting team," former opener Matthew Hayden told the same broadcaster. &nbsp;“When they are constantly putting that middle order under pressure, Steve Smith arriving way earlier than he ever needs to be, then you've got to start to answer those questions.”<h2>Coach Urges Patience</h2>McDonald has come out in support of his team and the players, saying Bangladesh exposing the age-factor crisis in Australian cricket would remain a concern; however, he would not shy from making any changes for the deciding Test. &nbsp;"It's always going to be a conversation, the age profile of the team, where we're at, how we're travelling. A loss doesn't help that," said McDonald. "But these players have got a fair bit of cricket left in them, I believe. &nbsp;"It's just really how we navigate through it. There's always going to be calls for change on the back of a loss. There's going to be an emotion around that from the outside – and even internally. Our guys sit in that change room, and they're feeling it. You feel a Test loss. It means a lot to them to play for Australia, so let's not lose that in all this as well. &nbsp;"The easy option is to call for change. A lot of people call for change even when we're winning. They're entitled to do that as well on the back of a performance like that. Why wouldn't they? That's part of our lot,” he added.

Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden demand squad changes after Australia's historic Darwin Test loss to Bangladesh, but coach Andrew McDonald urges patience.

Australian cricket stars Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden have relentlessly pushed for changes in the playing XI following Australia’s most shocking Test defeat in history against Bangladesh. The series opener in Darwin saw the travelling Asian team stun the full-strength Australian side inside four days and by nine wickets to register their first Test win Down Under, and second overall against Australia in this format. However, head coach Andrew McDonald has urged patience with the ageing squad and those under the radar, including opener Jake Weatherald and former number one Test batter Marnus Labuschagne. Players like veteran Nathan Lyon, who picked just one wicket on his return to the Test team, and Cameron Green, who almost saved his place with a second-innings hundred, are also under scrutiny; McDonald seeks better player management in the quest to make a comeback in this two-match Test series. The second Test starts on August 22 in Mackay. Also read| ‘Won’t Accept Him’: Kris Srikkanth rejects Ashwin’s pick Eoin Morgan for CSK coach role "I'm the last one to want to make change," Ponting said in a statement to Channel Seven after the first Test concluded. "As a captain or as a player, I wanted to keep a group together, so it has to get to a bad point before I start saying you've got to leave somebody out. "But there's been enough evidence for me coming here (Darwin) to suggest they weren't going to lose anything, or much at all, by starting that regeneration, bringing in another opener, bringing in someone at three... I think that has to happen,” he continued. While Travis Head also fared poorly, getting bowled out identically to Hasan Mahmud in two innings, Weatherald’s technical flaws and Labuschagne’s stubbornness to not learn from his mistakes put them at the forefront of any changes, should it happen. "The 1-2-3, as Ricky and I will tell you, are absolutely fundamental to the set-up of a batting team," former opener Matthew Hayden told the same broadcaster. “When they are constantly putting that middle order under pressure, Steve Smith arriving way earlier than he ever needs to be, then you've got to start to answer those questions.” Coach Urges Patience McDonald has come out in support of his team and the players, saying Bangladesh exposing the age-factor crisis in Australian cricket would remain a concern; however, he would not shy from making any changes for the deciding Test. "It's always going to be a conversation, the age profile of the team, where we're at, how we're travelling. A loss doesn't help that," said McDonald. "But these players have got a fair bit of cricket left in them, I believe. "It's just really how we navigate through it. There's always going to be calls for change on the back of a loss. There's going to be an emotion around that from the outside – and even internally. Our guys sit in that change room, and they're feeling it. You feel a Test loss. It means a lot to them to play for Australia, so let's not lose that in all this as well. "The easy option is to call for change. A lot of people call for change even when we're winning. They're entitled to do that as well on the back of a performance like that. Why wouldn't they? That's part of our lot,” he added.

Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden demand squad changes after Australia's historic Darwin Test loss to Bangladesh, but coach Andrew McDonald urges patience.

Ponting, Hayden push for changes after 'Darwin disaster' but coach urges patience with ageing squad

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Ponting, Hayden push for changes after 'Darwin disaster' but coach urges patience with ageing squad