Australia's T20 form guide: batsmen

The infrequency of international Twenty20 cricket often provides an air uncertainty when two nations collide in the game's shortest format.

For some players it could be hours between fixtures, for others it could be years.

But with the emergence of domestic tournaments scattered across the globe, there is often no shortage of T20 cricket available to those who are keen, and have the necessary skills. 

In order to take some of the guess work out of what to expect from Australia in their three-match T20 international series against South Africa, which starts on Friday in Durban, here's a rundown of Australia's specialist batsmen and the sole 'keeper, with the allrounders and bowlers to follow in the days to come.

Aaron Finch – batsman 

ICC T20I ranking: 1st

Last 10 innings

29/01/16 – 74 (48b, 8x4, 2x6), Australia v India, MCG

26/01/16 – 44 (33b, 4x4, 2x6), Australia v India, Adelaide Oval

04/01/16 – 60 (39b, 11x4), Renegades v Hurricanes, Bellerive Oval

02/01/16 – 36 (29b, 4x4, 1x6), Renegades v Stars, MCG

30/12/15 – 72 (48b, 6x4, 3x6), Renegades v Scorchers, Docklands

23/12/15 – 13 (11b, 3x4), Renegades v Sixers, Docklands

19/12/15 – 65 (45b, 6x4, 3x6), Renegades v Heat, Gabba

10/07/15 – 0 (1b), Yorkshire v Durham, Leeds

03/07/15 – 33 (19b, 5x4), Yorkshire v Lancashire, Old Trafford

26/06/15 – 2 (7b), Yorkshire v Leicestershire, Grace Road

Average: 39.9

Best knock: 74 v India, MCG

Finch enters the South Africa series in unfamiliar circumstances: returning from injury, not the incumbent opener, and not the captain. While his position at the top of the order may be under threat, Finch has the best strike rate (151.47) among batsmen with more than 800 T20 international runs, and he's officially the best T20 batsman in the world. All he needs is an opportunity to restore the faith in the selectors that he's the man for the job, and should get at least one shot in the next week.

Usman Khawaja – batsman 

ICC T20I ranking: N/A

Last 10 innings

31/01/16 – 14 (6b, 2x4), Australia v India, SCG

24/01/16 – 70 (40b, 5x4, 6x3), Thunder v Stars, MCG

21/01/16 – 104no (59b, 13x4, 3x6), Thunder v Strikers, Adelaide Oval

11/01/16 – 62 (42b, 9x4, 1x6), Thunder v Renegades, Homebush

20/12/15 – 109no (70b, 12x4, 3x6), Thunder v Stars, MCG

23/08/14 – 16 (17b, 2x4), Lancashire v Warwickshire, Edgbaston

23/08/14 – 1 (5b), Lancashire v Hampshire, Edgbaston

02/08/14 – 67 (54b, 6x4, 1x6), Lancashire v Glamorgan, Old Trafford

24/07/14 – 44 (25b, 7x4), Lancashire v Durham, Old Trafford

14/01/14 – 46 (34b, 7x4), Thunder v Renegades, Docklands

Average: 66.6

Best knock: 104no v Stars, MCG

Weight of runs – classy, elegant and sexy runs – has forced the national selectors to include Khawaja. It was a golden summer for the left-hander; transcending formats, traversing countries and transforming his reputation. A newfound power game has seen him become dangerous when the ball loses its opening hardness through the middle overs. Khawaja keeps it simple. Guns get the runs.

Steve Smith – batsman 

ICC T20I ranking: N/A

Last 10 innings

26/01/16 – 21 (14b, 3x4), Australia v India, Adelaide Oval

31/08/15 – 90 (53b, 7x4, 4x6), Australia v England, Cardiff

20/05/15 – 12 (13b, 1x4), Rajasthan v Bangalore, Pune

16/05/15 – 14 (11b, 2x4), Rajasthan v Kolkata, Mumbai

10/05/15 – 4 (6b), Rajasthan v Chennai, Chennai

07/05/15 – 68 (40b, 9x4, 2x6), Rajasthan v Hyderabad, Mumbai

01/05/15 – 23 (20b, 2x4), Rajasthan v Mumbai, Mumbai

24/04/15 – 31 (28b, 2x4), Rajasthan v Bangalore, Ahmedabad

21/04/15 – 0 (1b), Rajasthan v Punjab, Ahmedabad

19/04/15 – 6 (7b), Rajasthan v Chennai, Ahmedabad

Average: 26.9

Best knock: 90 v England, Cardiff

Smith has been almost flawless in his short tenure as Test and ODI captain, but T20 cricket is a different kettle of fish. While Australia's legacy in five-day and 50-over cricket is draped in glory, their record in the shortest format is not good – no titles, ranked eighth in the world, and they failed to advance from the group stage in the 2014 World T20. But success has courted Smith through his career, and with his unorthodox, unpredictable batting style and proactive captaincy, the T20 trophy drought could be only weeks away from ending.

David Warner – batsman 

ICC T20I ranking: 17th

Last 10 innings

26/01/16 – 17 (9b, 2x4, 1x6), Australia v India, Adelaide Oval

31/08/15 – 4 (6b), Australia v England, Cardiff

17/05/15 – 6 (5b, 1x4), Hyderabad v Mumbai, Hyderabad

15/05/15 – 52no (32b, 5x4, 1x6), Hyderabad v Bangalore, Hyderabad

11/05/15 – 81 (52b, 6x4, 5x6), Hyderabad v Punjab, Hyderabad

09/05/15 – 17 (15b, 1x4, 1x6), Hyderabad v Delhi, Raipur

07/05/15 – 24 (18b, 5x4), Hyderabad v Rajasthan, Mumbai

04/05/15 – 4 (3b, 1x4), Hyderabad v Kolkata, Kolkata

02/05/15 – 61 (28b, 11x4, 1x6), Hyderabad v Chennai, Hyderabad

27/04/15 – 58 (41b, 10x4, 1x6), Hyderabad v Punjab, Chandigarh

Average: 36

Best knock: 61 v Chennai, Hyderabad

Just where exactly in the top order Warner will bat is still up in the air, but his intimidating presence as one of the format's fiercest competitors is certain. While he has the power game to enter the fray later in the innings, Warner was born to take on the new ball, counter punching from the first over and revelling as the opposition advances. He's Australia's leading run-scorer in the format, and would be keen to join Shane Watson as the only other Australian to reach triple-figures in Test, ODI and T20I cricket.

Peter Nevill – wicketkeeper 

ICC T20I ranking: N/A

Last 10 innings

18/01/16 – 21 (19b, 3x4,), Renegades v Strikers, Docklands

11/01/16 – 4no (2b, 1x4, 1xct), Renegades v Thunder, Homebush

09/01/16 – 7 (10b, 1x4), Renegades v Stars, Docklands

22/01/14 – 0 (1b, 1xct), Renegades v Strikers, Adelaide Oval

18/01/14 – 4no (3b, 2xst), Renegades v Sixers, Docklands

14/01/14 – 14 (19b, 1x4), Renegades v Thunder, Docklands

04/01/14 – 3 (5b), Renegades v Stars, Docklands

01/01/14 – 9 (8b, 1x4, 1xct), Renegades v Hurricanes, Bellerive Oval

26/12/13 – 5 (15b, 1xct), Renegades v Scorchers, WACA Ground

20/12/13 – 25 (14b, 3x4), Renegades v Stars, MCG

Average: 11.5

Best match: 4no, 2 stumpings v Sixers, Docklands

Don't look at the batting numbers, Nevill has been picked because of his exemplary work with the gloves rather than his deeds with the bat. The selectors have made it clear Nevill is in the team to take every chance possible on the tricky wickets in India, and if South Africa's curators mimic those decks found on the sub-continent, he may have his hands full in this series. In a side brimming with batting talent, Nevill is likely to bat at No.9, and could even go lower depending on the game situation. But if the match is heading towards a tense finish, the cool head of the Renegades right-hander could be priceless.