The former Australian captain was scathing in his assessment of the nation’s so-called best players after suffering an innings-and-80-run loss to the Proteas in Hobart.

The visitors hold a 2-0 lead in the three-Test series and are set to claim a history-making whitewash on Australian soil.

"It's hard to believe that only a few months ago, I stood watching the Australian cricket team be presented with a $1 million dollar cheque as the No.1 team in the world," Border wrote in a News Corp Australia column.

"What has changed to deliver this incredible fall from grace?

"Off the pitch, not much at all. Nothing has changed in regards to team managers, staffing and high-performance.

"That's why the players have to take responsibility."

Captain Steve Smith had indicated he was upset with selectors for not picking teams he was comfortable with. 

Border squashed such talk and said the players must look within themselves and reflect on their disappointing performances.

"You can play the blame game right across the board, but Cricket Australia don't go out and bowl and bat for the team," he wrote.

"When you're defending our own patch and play like that, you deserve everything that comes with it.

"Having been there myself, you just have to cop the bash-up on the chin and work out a way to turn it around."