Australia are set to trial Cameron Green in some different ODI roles as they begin their build towards the 2027 ODI World Cup in Pakistan this month, with the need to find a replacement for Glenn Maxwell high on the agenda for the selectors.
Meanwhile, there was a hope that T20 power-hitter Tim David could be part of the World Cup but he has not made himself available to play ODI cricket in the short-term, with selectors hopeful that may change as the tournament in South Africa and Zimbabwe draws closer.
Green's role in the ODI team will be a focus going into three ODIs in Pakistan and three in Bangladesh on back-to-back tours starting on May 30. His position as an incumbent in each of Australia's first-choice XIs has been a source of debate but he made a 47-ball century in Australia's most recent ODI against South Africa in August last year.
However, a lean Ashes and T20 World Cup has him firmly in the spotlight heading into a massive 18 months of cricket where Australia will play 20 Tests (possibly 21 if they make the WTC final), including away Test series in South Africa, India and England, as well as the ODI World Cup.
Green was part of 2023 ODI World Cup winning squad but only played three matches, with Australia using an extra specialist batter in the semi-final and final rather than a seam-bowling allrounder. He missed the Champions Trophy in 2025 due to his back injury.
Green has batted at Nos. 3 and 4 in his last seven ODI innings but coach Andrew McDonald said the selectors were keen to look at Green in an all-round finishing role ahead of the World Cup after losing Maxwell to retirement.
"I think he's got the ability to play high up the order and low," McDonald told reporters just prior to the squad leaving for Pakistan.
"He does have some power, and we saw that in that top-end series last year against South Africa, his ability to finish off that innings, and with the absence of Glenn Maxwell we had that conversation
"The team that we are, we keep these things open. Experiment is not the right word, but we'll look at different ways to play in the journey to the 2027 World Cup and where he fits exactly in that. We've got some options there because of his range of skills, but definitely the bowling is a big part of that.
"I feel like he has a big part to play with the ball as well. I think he's capable.
"It feels like his bowling is progressing. Like previous IPLs, the more bowling he gets under his belt, that there's improvement there. So, but the good sign is on the back of where he's been, as well, and this IPL, the skills are coming back, white-ball skills in particular, and off the back of the surgery he's had."
Green is coming off an indifferent IPL with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Across 14 games he made 322 at 32.20, with two half-centuries striking at 145.70, and took seven wickets at 32.72, with an economy rate of 10.63. He was under immense scrutiny early in the tournament after under-performing in KKR's first five losses before making valuable contributions as they won six of their last eight games only to miss the playoffs. Whether he will play all six ODIs and three T20Is in Pakistan and Bangladesh also remains to be seen after a heavy IPL workload.
McDonald admitted that Green was not performing to the level that he would like at the moment but believes he will work it out despite the enormous challenge of trying to master all three formats with bat and ball.
"He had a challenging summer," McDonald said. "He didn't perform to the level that he wanted to. I think people don't appreciate the sum of all the parts that he brings as well. We want him to average more with the bat. He wants to average more with the bat. But his fielding, his bowling, the package that he is, we feel he will come good. It's just a matter of, okay, how we balance out the three formats as well.
"I think batting is incredibly complex and difficult at the moment with players trying to stretch across three formats, and I'd ask the question, how many have been good at going across all three formats? Currently, it's incredibly difficult. So, are we asking too much of certain players also?"
"We're always talking about how we can improve, how we can get better, and how we're coaching as well in supporting Cam on that journey. So we're looking at what we're doing as well, and it's not just all about a player. How can we help that player prepare and get the best out of them? As I said, he's not where he wants to be, and we're trying to help him get to where he wants to play."
Australia's ODI batting unit is in a state of flux less than 18 months out from the World Cup. The retirements of Maxwell and Steve Smith have left huge holes. The opening combination of Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head is locked in but with Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschange, Alex Carey and Matt Renshaw all in the mix for middle-order roles alongside Green, there is a distinct lack of finishing power heading into a World Cup where back-end scoring might be vital on early season pitches in South Africa and Zimbabwe if new-ball batting proves challenging.
The lure of David is appealing to Australia's selectors having trialed him in four ODIs in South Africa ahead of the 2023 World Cup. But McDonald said despite the selectors best efforts, they are yet to convince David to expand his national remit beyond T20Is at the moment given his franchise options.
"It is something we're looking at," McDonald said. "Tim hasn't made himself available for ODI cricket as yet in amongst everything that he's doing, but open-minded that potentially that is a conversation down the track.
"TD would need to obviously come to us around and signal his intention to play one-day international cricket. We used him in the build up to the last World Cup.
"TD was someone that we felt could potentially play in that finishing No.7 role. Will we be exposed there? Can Tim be a part of that conversation? Maybe. But ultimately this stage he is not available."