Australia World Cup squad: Key questions
1. Almost nothing has had Australia’s selectors scratching their heads with as hard as the opening combination. David Warner is due a comeback and is in belligerent form at the 2019 Indian Premier League, where he is the highest-scorer. Warner is best used at the top of the order. But Aaron Finch and Usman Khawaja have been excellent there as well.
Since the start of this year, Khawaja has had two hundreds and six fifties in 13 innings,http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/215155.html?class=2;filter=advanced;orderby=default;spanmin1=01+Jan+2019;spanval1=span;template=results;type=battingand has averaged 59.15. Finch has been similarly dominant, striking back-to-back centuries, including a career-best 153* and a 90, in five ODIs against Pakistan.
One among the three will now have to step out of their comfort zone despite proving that they belong there.
2. Also primed for a comeback is former captain Steve Smith. But if one of Khawaja or Finch moves down the order, where does that leave Smith?
Australia’s middle order is suddenly brimming with good health. Glenn Maxwell is in excellent form and is a lockdown for one of the spots, while Alex Carey, Peter Handscomb, Ashton Turner and Marcus Stoinis have all made strong cases for selection as well.
Smith is a monster in the long format, but has never quite been a world-beating white-ball player. His form in the IPL hasn’t looked very encouraging either. How does he fit into the picture then?
3. The trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins should be the ones to share fast-bowling duties at the World Cup, barring fitness issues. And they do have their share of them.
Starc has been nursing a pectoral injury that has kept him out of action since the Tests against Sri Lanka, while Hazlewood has been out of commission since the India series, with a back stress fracture. Pat Cummins has taken up the bulk of the load in their absence, and his body has held up remarkably as he’s morphed into a workhorse. But can all three pull their weight come CWC 2019?
4. Maxwell is certain to take up one of the all-rounder spots, but the other is up for debate. Stoinis seems a good fit, being a seam-bowling all-rounder. But if they go with him, Turner might miss out, and Australia don’t have another lower middle-order player who brings as much destructive potential to the table. But with Maxwell already offering off-breaks, and at least one spinner certain to make the XI, do Australia need another off-spinning all-rounder?
5. Nathan Lyon is a world-class spinner who has done just about everything to prove that he deserves a maiden appearance at cricket’s flagship event. But competing with him is leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who had a terrific series in India, where he dismissed Virat Kohli three times in seven games. Unless the conditions are vastly unconventional, two specialist spinners in the XI for a World Cup in England is unlikely.