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Communication key for selectors: Gilchrist

Test great says busy schedule has created confusion

Adam Gilchrist hopes selectors continue to communicate with players to avoid "confusion" that may have been created by the busy start to the summer of cricket, which has seen Australia play matches in three forms of the game across four different time zones in less than two weeks.

Australia's home summer of international cricket got underway with a Twenty20 match against South Africa in Adelaide on November 5, 48 hours after the final day Australia's second Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi.

Following T20 matches in Melbourne and Sydney, the Aussies moved on to Perth for the first match of the Carlton Mid ODI series against the Proteas, which saw several of Australia's Test squad from the UAE return to the national set-up.

In all, Australia played five matches in 11 days across Test, ODI and T20 formats in four different time zones with a total of 28 players.

They used two different coaches as well; Trevor Bayliss took the reins of the T20 side while regular coach Darren Lehmann was still in the UAE.

And there may be more players used in the coming weeks, with Mitchell Johnson hinting on Saturday that he will be rested from the final three matches of the ODI series against the Proteas.

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Australia's ODI squad assembles in Perth // Getty Images

Gilchrist, who played 96 Tests, 287 ODIs and 13 T20s for his country, says managing player workloads means "rotating" players in and out of limited overs sides is nothing new for Australian cricket.

But he says the inconsistent start to the summer has created confusion, and clear communication is needed from selectors to clarify the situation. 

"There is a little bit of confusion out in the public I think (about) who's in the Australian team, what Australian team's playing and what competition they are playing in at the moment," Gilchrist told Triple M's Dead Set Legends.

"I think T20 internationals have created that. Playing a T20 two or three days after playing a Test match in another country, it's just created a bit of confusion (and) a bit of angst amongst the players, probably.

"But I guess as long as the selectors and the cricket board are articulating what their plans are to the players clearly ... don't worry about the public, but as long as the players know what's going on and they're in the picture, it's not too bad."

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Australia's T20 squad celebrate their series win // Getty Images

Cricket Australia has often flagged the importance of managing player workloads, particularly with fast bowlers.

The careful handling of Johnson, Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle in the lead up to the Ashes last summer has been credited with enabling the three quicks to play five Tests in the space of just six weeks, which was a key pillar of Australia's 5-0 series win. 

The announcement yesterday that Mitchell Starc has been rested from this weekend's Bupa Sheffield Shield match in Brisbane is the latest example of CA's vigilant approach to fast-bowling workloads.

Having not played a first-class match in 14 months, Starc has bowled more than 80 overs in less than two weeks in matches for Australia and the NSW Blues.

Cricket Australia's Executive General Manager of Team Performance Pat Howard said on Friday that the decision to rest Starc was taken with consideration for the left-armer's "wellbeing at the beginning of a long season".

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Australia's side during the second Test in Abu Dhabi // Getty Images

And with the Commonwealth Bank Test series against India just weeks away, and the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup on the horizon, Johnson says he has complete faith in CA to properly manage his workload.

"With what we've got coming up ... it's a lot of cricket," Johnson told Triple M's Dead Set Legends

"So for me to be at my best and bowling fast, I need to be as fresh as possible.

"It's hard; I want to play every game I can for my country, but at the same time I want to be playing at my best so whatever the selectors and CA want me to do, I'll go by them.

"I've got to put some trust in them as well and that's what I'll do."

Players used since November 3
Sean Abbott, George Bailey, Doug Bollinger, Cameron Boyce, Michael Clarke, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Ben Cutting, Ben Dunk, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Lyon, Nic Maddinson, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Reardon, Kane Richardson, Chris Rogers, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Shane Watson, Cameron White.