Got to work out the best eleven: Darren Lehmann

Darren Lehmann, Australia's coach, has hinted at a drastic makeover for his team after Australia suffered a humiliating second Test loss against South Africa in Hobart on Tuesday (November 15).

Australia slumped to one of their worst ever losses after being thrashed by an innings and 80 runs, as the match ended suddenly before lunch on day four. Only leaders Steve Smith and David Warner, and spearheads Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood appear automatic selections for the third Test in Adelaide starting on November 24.

After an embarrassing dismissal on day four, veteran batsman Adam Voges has almost certainly played his last Test, while Nathan Lyon, the long-time incumbent spinner, is poised for the axe due to a prolonged form slump. South Australian pair Joe Mennie and Callum Ferguson had inglorious Test debuts but could be given another chance at their home ground of the Adelaide Oval.

Lehmann, who is part of Australia's four-man selection panel, said the round of Sheffield Shield matches starting on Thursday (November 17) would be pivotal to the team's makeup for the third Test, which is now a dead rubber.

"There'll definitely be change," Lehmann said after the second Test. "We've got to stop the rot, we've got to work out what's the best eleven. Hazlewood was great, Starc's getting back to his best and then you've got Smith and Warner. Outside of that everyone's got to make some runs and take some wickets. It's a really important four days of Shield cricket."

Promising young batsmen Cameron Bancroft, Kurtis Patterson and Peter Handscomb could all be in the frame to make their Test debuts but the trio has started the Shield season slowly, compounding Australia's difficulty at the selection table.

All of Australia's team in Hobart bar Hazlewood, Starc and Mennie will play in the Sheffield Shield.

"Guys that have played in this Test match, obviously some are disappointed in their performances and they get a chance to play the Shield game to put their hand up," Lehmann said. "The lads know, they're keen to get out of here, get ready to play for that game and prepare the best they can. As a selection panel at the end of the day, performance is going to count but then you have to have an eye to the future as well so it's that juggling act.

"We've got to make sure we go in the right direction for Australian cricket because at the moment we haven't been, so we've got to win some games," Lehmann added.