Greg Chappell has been appointed a full-time selector of the Australian cricket team.

With this, Chappell becomes Australia’s first full-time selector and he will replace one of the three other panellists, David Boon, Merv Hughes or Jamie Cox. Andrew Hilditch is the chairman of the selection panel and he will be expected to continue with the role till the end of the World Cup next year. The decision on who he will replace will be taken in October.

Chappell will also be the spokesperson for the group of selectors, and will be expected to bring upon his expertise from the Centre of Excellence, to get in the newer players. With the Australian Test team having slipped from the top position to the number four, the pressure will be on him to ensure that some hard decisions are taken.

Chappell was the coach of the Indian cricket team and was instrumental in getting Sourav Ganguly out of the role of captaincy. However, Chappell said that the tougher decisions will be taken by Hilditch, who was the chairman of the selectors.

Chappell was the selector of the Australian cricket team till 1988 before becoming a cricket commentator. One of his major decisions will be to look at the Australian side at the end of the Ashes and the World Cup and ensure some long-term planning.

The Ashes starts from November this year and Blue Square offers 3/4 for Australia to win the series. England need only a draw to retain the Ashes, and 888Sport offers 5/1 for a drawn series, whereas Bwin gives 27/10 in case of an English series win.