Trevor Hohns says Shaun Marsh's Ashes ascent disproves "nonsense" allegations about Australia's selection policy, but the chairman could hardly have picked a more polarising poster boy for the over-30s.
Marsh has been recalled to the Test XI for the eighth time in his stop-start career, with the veteran to face England in the series opener that starts in Brisbane on Thursday.
It comes five months after the subcontinent specialist was overlooked for a tour of Bangladesh.
Selecting the much-maligned batsman, who made his first-class debut in 2001 and excelled at under-age level alongside Shane Watson, Michael Clarke and Mitchell Johnson, has yet again generated immense disbelief, outrage and vitriol - the sort that Watson endured throughout his career.
Former paceman Brett Geeves termed the selection confusing and contradictory, opining "it seems like something that just is not legal in the ways of the modern world".
Hohns suggested Marsh, who recently topped the run-scoring charts in the domestic one-day competition and scored 91 against the Test attack during a recent Sheffield Shield game in Sydney, warranted selection and highlighted the poor performance of his rivals.
Hohns added the 34-year-old should give batsmen on the wrong side of 30 - some of whom have publicly questioned selectors' recent drive to blood youngsters at international level - hope.
"I would think so. I would think it's the type of selection that is warranted number one," Hohns said.
"And secondly also displays we're just no here to pick a development side as has been touted a little bit in the past. That's just nonsense."
Last year's overhaul of the XI, after a horrible loss in Hobart, led to Matthew Renshaw, Peter Handscomb and Nic Maddinson making their debuts.
Hohns' panel made six changes to the incumbent XI this time but, Cameron Bancroft aside, took a view it was better the devil you know.
He backed Marsh, who has scored four Test tons and helped salvage a draw in Ranchi earlier this year, to deliver ahead of less experienced contenders.
"The younger players we have chosen over the past 12 months or so, at this stage haven't given us enough performance to be chosen in the initial squad for the Ashes," Hohns said.
"The Ashes is very important, we don't feel it's the ideal venue to inject them again."
Steve Smith, who has watched Marsh score Test centuries from the non-striker's end in South Africa and Sri Lanka, backed the contentious call.
"He played very well (in the Shield game against Smith's NSW) and he's been opening the batting," Smith said.
"No.6 is a spot where you could potentially face the second new ball and he's been doing that.
"He's hitting the ball really well. Justin Langer's been saying for some time he (Marsh) has been in the form of his life."
