Lehmann aims to groom side for long-term gains; wants continuity

Darren Lehmann, the Australian coach, is coy about whether Australia's new-look team will be unchanged for their next Test assignment against Pakistan starting on December 15.

After convincingly losing the opening two Tests against South Africa, Australia sought renewal and underwent a transformation highlighted by three batting debutants playing in the team's seven-wicket victory in the third Test in Adelaide.

Debutants Matt Renshaw and Peter Handscomb contributed with impressive performances but Nic Maddinson made a duck in his only innings and thus could be under pressure to hold his spot. Shaun Marsh, the Australian opener, is facing a race against time to recover from a broken finger for the Brisbane Test but could be fit for the Boxing Day Test.

Marsh, who last played in the first Test as an opener, is an adaptable batsman having played in numerous positions during his career and could be slotted into a middle-order position if recalled.

Lehmann said he was pleased with the performance of Australia's new-look team but fell short of declaring guaranteed positions for the debutants. "We've got to worry about when he's fit ... then we'll work out what we do," he said. "You'd love to have continuity all the time, in this day and age sometimes that's not possible ... but you'd love to keep a group together, a younger group especially.

"The guys who came in did a really good job," he added. "If you can keep the group together for five years or so, or whatever it is - until the older guys go - it makes it easier. But then you've got different conditions and blokes in and out of form, so you just have to sum it up along the way."

There was much controversy over the ruthless wielding of the axe from selectors but Lehmann said changes were necessary after a horrid start to the summer. "When you lose, you need to change," he said. "We had to inject some new players, players who can grow and play for 10 years ... develop a side who can grow for a long period of time.

"We've got a young group which is going to be exciting. There's going to be ups and downs."

Lehmann was coy about whether Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood, Australia's spearheads, would be rested during the upcoming Chappell-Hadlee series starting on December 4. "They've just got to be really fit and fresh, as much as you possibly can," he said. "There's so much cricket all year round. Do you learn your lesson along the way ... you do. But as long as they're fresh and going okay, there's no problems playing them. The advantage we had in them not going to South Africa as such is that Hazlewood's fresh as a daisy

"He's going really well and bowled probably the best he's bowled in the last couple of summers. To get a world-class player like Hashim Amla five times is pretty special. So the rest for him and doing the rehab and making sure he's strong was exceptional. It was important for him and Starc."