Trevor Hohns, Australia's chairman of selectors, has indicated that Steve Waugh may be forced into retirement after the final Test of the Ashes series at Sydney. "Of course it's difficult to adjudicate on icons, but the welfare of Australian cricket has to come first and we will do what we think is right for Australian cricket," said Hohns in an interview with The Australian newspaper. "That's part of our charter. You would obviously hope you don't have to adjudicate on such icons, but maybe that's just the way it's got to be."

Waugh caused consternation in the press last month when he announced his intention to stay on as captain for another series in India in 2004. But Hohns has told him that the four-man panel, which includes Allan Border, David Boon and Andrew Hilditch, will back him only until the end of the current season.

"The main thing is that the decision is his at this stage," added Hohns. "There's no push whatsoever. If he wants to go at the end of the Sydney Test, that's fine, that's his decision. If he wants to go on, that's fine, too, but he'll obviously be judged the same as everybody else and that's on form. It's that simple."

Waugh's obvious successor is Australia's one-day captain, Ricky Ponting, who has done an outstanding job with the side since taking over this year. Today's victory over Sri Lanka at Perth was his 16th win in 20 matches, and his form in Tests has carried him to No. 2 in the PwC ratings.

There had been suggestions that Waugh wished to prolong his career for financial reasons, given the enormous rise in player salaries in recent years. "I don't know whether that's true or false," said Hohns, "but what we are seeing is that cricketers are playing longer – at state level too – because it's now become a career. We've got to be careful that we don't get to the English system where there is no incentive for anyone to do anything else. That's a concern."

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd