Australian selectors have been accused of treating young and promising leg-spinner Beau Casson "shabbily"
Casson's New South Wales chief executive Brad Gilbert has made the claim after the chinaman bowler has seemingly fallen down the pecking order after making his single Test appearance on the tour of the West Indies in June.
Since then Casson had been overlooked for the tour of India, with ageing leg-spinner Bryce McGain preferred.
McGain injured a shoulder on the eve of that series, to rule him out, with the selectors then opting to hand debuts to Victoria captain Cameron White, who rarely bowls himself for his state, and Jason Krejza.
Krejza impressed with 12 wickets on his debut, but when he was injured for the second Test against New Zealand last week, the selectors opted to recall Casson's New South Wales team-mate Nathan Hauritz for his first Test in over four years.
The high turnover of spinners has undermined Australia's recent Test performances, as they still seek a replacement after Shane Warne's retirement over two years ago, and Gilbert believes Casson has suffered most.
"It is hard not to think that he (Casson) has been treated shabbily," Gilbert told The Courier Mail.
"It has been a strange turn of events. He performed well in his Test debut and has had to sit back and watch as four other spinners have somehow jumped ahead of him."
Casson, who turns 26 on Sunday, moved to New South Wales from his home state of Western Australia three years ago in an attempt to bolster his national team prospects.
He had enjoyed the spin-friendly conditions of the Sydney Cricket Ground to force his place in the national team, but since being overlooked Gilbert believes Casson has lost form and confidence.
Casson has taken just one wicket, for the cost of 263 runs, in four Sheffield Shield matches this season.
"Beau is a guy who needs a lot of TLC. He is not the most confident character you will meet," he added.
"He didn't see this coming and he has been shattered. He needs to be in the right state of mind to perform. Not to even make the touring party for India put him back to square one.
"He is very confused and what is incredibly disappointing is that it has really put him back to where he was when we first signed him three years ago."
For his part Casson has not given up hope of making a return to the Test side,
"I'm obviously disappointed but I am only 25 and I think my best years are still ahead of me," he said.
"I'm still hoping to get back into a baggy green one day and I'll be trying my hardest to get back there."
