Allrounders provide flexibility for Australia

The Sydney Thunder built their KFC Big Bash League-winning team around their three key allrounders, and now Australia will use that same blueprint as they aim to break their drought at the World T20.

The depth provided by Shane Watson, Andre Russell and South Africa legend Jacques Kallis provided Thunder captain Michael Hussey with a well-balanced, flexible side that went all the way in BBL|05 to claim the club's maiden title.

Now Steve Smith's men are set to follow suit, with five specialist allrounders, and potentially seven if you count Perth Scorchers pair Nathan Coulter-Nile and Ashton Agar, challenging for four spots in Australia's first-choice XI.

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Having a quartet of genuine allrounders, who can contribute equally with bat and ball, affords Smith options.

Options and flexibility.

It allows Australia to play three specialist batsmen and bat as low as No.9, likely to be uncapped wicketkeeper Peter Nevill, with the middle order chock-full of dual threats.

While time is precious in T20 cricket – every ball counts – should the top-order get off to a poor start, waiting in the wings are four power hitters, plus a more than capable tail, to bail the batsmen out in the latter stages.

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It also provides Smith seven bowling options to choose from, with three specialist bowlers able to be called on with the ensemble of allrounders on standby.

Should one of the seven go the journey early, which can easily happen in the shortest format of the game, Smith will have six other candidates up his sleeve to inject into the action.

That's what Hussey had at the Thunder; a deep batting line-up, plenty of bowlers to choose from, and most importantly, options and flexibility.

"Where we're at at the moment, I think that (having several allrounders) is going to be crucial for us to be flexible and adaptable," Smith told reporters on Monday. 

"A lot of the allrounders are bowling extremely well as well, that certainly helps us out. 

"We might be able to go a bit batter-heavy in a way playing a few allrounders other than out-and-out bowlers. 

"It helps out as a captain to have six or seven bowling options.

"It's nice to have the options there and available."

Australia will have the three-match T20 series against South Africa starting Friday in Durban, plus one other warm-up fixture against the West Indies in Kolkata, to determine which pieces fit where in the premier XI before their opening match of the World T20 against New Zealand on March 18.

Of the available allrounders, the Thunder's Shane Watson and Melbourne Stars duo Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner appear to be the certainties – three men with vast experience in India and big game performances under their belts.

John Hastings – another Stars alum – was one of Australia's best in the 2-1 Chappell-Hadlee ODI series loss last month, and Mitchell Marsh, who crashed his maiden one-day century against India in January, could be vying for the final spot.

And that's not factoring in the explosive pace and hefty-hitting of Coulter-Nile, or the left-arm orthodox and languid batting of Agar, who could vital on the turning tracks on the sub-continent.

With all 15-squad members expected to feature at some stage in the series against the Proteas, Bupa Support Team Head Coach Darren Lehmann and selector on duty Mark Waugh will have an opportunity to see which option they want to go with.