"We are like the West Indies, we got comfortable whacking everyone and lost sight of the grassroots and the importance of bring the next generation through," Benaud told 'The Daily Telegraph'.
"Unfortunately, we got complacent and now it's biting us on the bum," he added.
Once considered invincible, Australia are a pale shadow of their former self and are currently 0-2 down in the ongoing Test series against India.
"The game has gone right off the pace and the cricket administrators should be worried. Cricket in Australia is in trouble.
"You can have your Argus Review (a sweeping probe of the game conducted after Australia's Ashes loss in 2010-11), but unless someone does something and you get some experienced, knowledgeable cricketers back in the scene, we are going to keep struggling," he said.
Benaud said Australia could take a leaf out of England's book while revamping the system.
"England have got their act together, but we haven't got ours together. County cricket (in England) has now overtaken Sheffield Shield in terms of quality," he pointed out.
You’ve hit your limit of 5 free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online
Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app