MITCHELL JOHNSON: Aussies resting stars led by Pat Cummins robs players like Spencer Johnson as much as fans

Well the criticism has come thick and fast for Australia before the Test summer has even begun as a result of a second-string Aussie line-up coughing up the one-day international series to Pakistan.

I agree with some of it and disagree with some of it, but when you are locked at 1-1 questions should be asked about why so many first-choice players were rested.

The Test series against India is clearly the priority and Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley confirmed that by saying the plan was to make sure the all-format players were at their peak for the Test series.

Though they could have played Sunday and still had a good rest by sitting out of the Twenty20 series starting tonight.

I do like the fact that some young and inexperienced players got an opportunity to compete in Sunday’s match and test their skills at the top level. Those players definitely cared about that match but I also think as a professional, you need to be accountable and put a high price on your wicket.

I like the priority of Test cricket being number one, as long as it isn’t at the expense of taking away from the fans that come and watch the national team in any format and have an expectation to see the top Aussie players playing.

If Australia were 2-0 up, as maybe they thought they might be, resting players would have been less of a problem. But with the series on the line and it basically being the final, I think the fans deserved more.

Interestingly, Hockley made the point that CA has been criticised in the past for not giving new players an opportunity and that criticism has been right at times.

You have to be aware of the big picture and planning for the future is part of that. The balance of new players coming in is critical to make sure they are playing alongside experienced players so they can be guided through and get advice out in the middle.

This is one thing I found very helpful and important in my career. You do learn a lot with the guidance of senior and experienced players.

Playing for Queensland, I had many great teammates around to learn from, and on the field, Andy Bichel was brilliant to have at mid-on and mid-off providing invaluable insight.

The series loss and Hockley’s comments make me wonder what the future of selection in the different formats is going to look like.

Australia are always competitive, and the heavy schedule of cricket is clearly having an impact. Top players skipping white-ball games or even whole series for Australia has become commonplace as players pick and choose which series are more important.

It’s easy to sit back and complain. This issue in the game has been creeping in for a while now. So what’s the right answer?

The most obvious answer is having largely specialised teams in all three formats. From the outside, that seems the best way but as a player, not so much.

Let me explain. My priority was Test cricket and, like most others, I refused to be rested for a Test match. But I also wanted to play ODI cricket and sometimes Twenty20, though that was my lowest priority. And I don’t mean that in a disrespectful way because I was still representing Australia.

Mitchell Starc is one of Australia’s best to play ODI cricket but has still shown he has prioritised Test cricket.

The thing with cricket is there is a lot that is played and the expectation is to be at your best every game. Look at the recent ODI series as an example.

If the Pakistan series is to be a turning point when it comes to selection and fixturing, amid the juggle of cricket’s three formats, then there could be plenty of change coming and plenty of opportunities for the next generation.

That’s exciting. But the reality is losses are going to happen when a transition of players happens.

The key is making sure the fans are respected, because they are a key part of our sport. As players, we appreciate their support and we are honoured to represent them and our country.