New-look top order as Australia begin fresh World Cup cycle

Australia are weighing up their options as to who will replace David Warner at the top of their one-day line-up with stand-in captain Steve Smith hinting World Cup-winner Josh Inglis is set to be given first crack in Friday's series opener against the West Indies.

Warner confirmed his retirement from the 50-over format ahead of his final Test at the SCG earlier this month, with Australia's three-match series against the Windies their first ODI outing since lifting the World Cup for a record sixth time last November.

Warner will be one of six missing from the XI that beat India by six wickets in Ahmedabad, with skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Glenn Maxwell and Mitch Marsh all rested, with Australia set to unearth multiple debutants with an eye towards next year's Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the 2027 ODI World Cup in Africa.

Inglis, who replaced axed gloveman Alex Carey following their tournament-opening loss to India at the World Cup, last opened the batting in the one-day format in last season's Marsh Cup final, smashing 138 from 110 balls to help Western Australia to back-to-back titles with a 181-run victory over South Australia.

He's opened the batting once in his ODI career, partnering former skipper Aaron Finch in his final 50-over match for Australia with Warner rested.

While he batted in the middle-order in his eight innings during the World Cup, coming in at No.5 against Sri Lanka and top-scoring with 58 to kickstart Australia's campaign after losses in their opening two matches, opening is Inglis' second most productive position in the 50-over format (after No.7 where he has batted twice for 94 runs), averaging 36.71 from 14 innings at the top in ODI and List A cricket.

He's one of potentially three options being considered to partner player of the World Cup final Travis Head, with allrounders Cameron Green and Matt Short also in the squad.

Despite moving to the top in Test cricket, Smith said Australia will stick to their winning formula and he'll remain in the middle-order for the one-day team.

"We'll keep it consistent I suppose and with myself and 'Marn' (Marnus Labuschagne) at four and five like the World Cup and then we'll probably see some guys having an opportunity up top and mixing matching a little bit," Smith said ahead of the first ODI at the MCG.

"With the guys we've got in the squad, we've got some versatility there so it should be exciting.

"Mitch Marsh obviously isn't here, he's obviously a candidate to be batting somewhere in the top three in one-day cricket … I think it's maybe Inglis and 'Greeny' potentially at three, we'll have to sort it out with the selectors, but I think that's the top three potentially for the first game."

Green has never opened in his 23 ODIs, while Short's position in his two ODIs have been polar opposites, coming in at No.8 in his debut against India in Mohali prior to last year's World Cup and opening in his second match two days later.

The destructive right-hander only permanently moved to the top of Victoria's one-day line-up in the second half of last summer on the back of his success against the new ball for the Adelaide Strikers, which has seen him put together three consecutive KFC BBL seasons of 450-plus runs.

Opening is by far his most dominant position in List A cricket, averaging 61.72 striking at more than 100 – an average output 30 runs higher than his next best (31.38 at No.5 striking at 88.1).

"I think he'll get opportunities both in the middle and top, what that looks like in terms of the three games, I'm not sure," Smith said.

"His form has been outstanding recently as well, he's a quality player and he's absolutely smashed it for the Strikers the last few weeks."

Australia are also set to unleash Lance Morris for the first time at international level after spending the best part of the past two home summers running the drinks for the Test side, with BBL|13's leading wicket-taker Xavier Bartlett and local boy Will Sutherland the options to fill the third fast bowling spot for the series opener alongside Sean Abbott and allrounders Aaron Hardie and Green.

"I'm a senior player in this group, we've got a lot of young guys so teaching them the ropes coming into the Australian team for the first time and hopefully making their experience an enjoyable one," Smith said of the opportunity to captain the side in the series.

The tourists enter the series on the back of strong results at home in the past few months after the disappointment of failing to qualify for last year's ODI World Cup, beating England 2-1 and taking a game off India in their 1-2 series defeat.

And with eight players in their squad having played 10 ODIs or fewer, they too are looking to the future.

"It's great to deepen that (talent) pool and what's a better way to start your career than here in Australia for some of these guys," captain Shai Hope said.

"Four years (between World Cups) seems like a long time but it really isn't, and as much games as these guys can play over that span, is going to widen that pool and then give us a headache.

"It's nice to see the guys really taking to the new system and the way we're trying to play our cricket, so it's just one game at a time and then the results will take care of itself."

Men's Dettol ODI Series v West Indies

February 2: MCG, 2.30pm AEDT

February 4: SCG, 2.30pm AEDT

February 6: Manuka Oval, Canberra 2.30pm AEDT

Australia ODI squad: Steve Smith (c), Travis Head (vc), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Matt Short, Will Sutherland, Adam Zampa

West Indies ODI squad: Shai Hope (c), Alzarri Joseph, Alick Athanaze, Teddy Bishop, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Gudakesh Motie, Kjorn Ottley, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr.

Men's Dettol T20I Series v West Indies

February 9: Blundstone Arena, Hobart 7.00pm AEDT

February 11: Adelaide Oval, 7pm AEDT

February 13: Perth Stadium, 7pm AEDT

Australia T20I squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

West Indies T20I squad: Rovman Powell (c), Shai Hope, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas