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IPL role has Warner ready to lead Aussies

Australia's 23rd ODI skipper believes leading Sunrisers Hyderabad has shown him what he is capable of as a leader

David Warner believes his experience leading Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League has him well equipped to captain Australia for the remainder of the Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka.

The Australia opener will make his international captaincy debut in tomorrow’s third one-day international against Sri Lanka in Dambulla following the decision to send Steve Smith home mid-series ahead of a hectic six-month schedule.

Warner led his IPL franchise with aplomb over the past two seasons, culminating in the franchise's maiden triumph in the world's largest Twenty20 tournament earlier this year.

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As he prepares to become the 23rd man to captain Australia, Warner says the IPL experience opened his eyes to what he was capable of as a leader.

"Over the last couple of years, the experience in the IPL has given me a great insight into myself as a person," Warner told media following his first training in the new role.

"You always think you’ve got capabilities of being a captain and a leader, but it’s about getting feedback from your peers and how they come to you when a challenge arises.

"I’ve had some great feedback over the last couple of years in the IPL, now it’s about putting my mind out here come this game and see what I can bring to the table as a captain."

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Warner showed leadership was no burden throughout this year’s IPL title run, as the explosive left-hander plundered 848 runs in 17 innings at the blistering strike rate of 151.42. Only India superstar Virat Kohli scored more for the season.

Australia will be hoping the ODI captaincy provides a similar boost to their star batsman following a slow start to the current series.

Warner has been dismissed for single-figure scores in successive ODI innings for the first time since the early stages of his career when he posted scores of 7 and 2 against New Zealand in February 2009, followed by a duck later that year against Scotland.

"It’s never comfortable when you’re not hitting them as well as you’d like,” Warner said.

"You sort of get injured when you’re in form and then you come back into the game and you come over here and you’re busting your backside to try to scratch around for a couple of runs.

"And then you come into the one-day stuff and you try to up the ante a little bit and you get nicked off two games in a row to a quick.

"It can be quite challenging. But you’ve just got to keep backing yourself and backing your game and don’t go away from that.

"You’ve got to do all the hard yards at training, do what you need to do to be in the best frame of mind come ball one."

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Australia are yet to decide on a final XI for tomorrow’s clash after they were met by a surprisingly green pitch at Friday’s training session, although the surface out in the middle could change drastically before the coin is tossed.

Once selectors have decided on a team, one of Warner’s big calls early in his leadership reign will be deciding who replaces Smith at the crucial No.3 position in the batting order.

Usman Khawaja is waiting in the wings and Travis Head could be given a promotion up the order after his two knocks at No.7, but fellow left-hander Shaun Marsh appears to be the man most likely to receive a call-up.

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The Western Australian posted a sublime century in the third Test against Sri Lanka after missing out on selection in the first two Tests and he also boasts an impressive ODI record with an average of 39.51 from his 50 matches.

"We know what he’s capable of, he came out and blasted a hundred and that’s what happens when you have guys on the boundary running the drinks and bending over backwards to do everything they can to try and get out there,” Warner said of Marsh.

"He put his hand up, he got the opportunity and he took it.

"And that just shows the hunger the guys have that aren’t having that selection fortune by being put in the team.

"They are always constantly putting their hand up and that shows the strength and depth we have in Australian cricket today."

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Meanwhile, Sri Lanka have made one change to their 16-man squad for the third encounter as Milinda Siriwardana makes way for under-19 quick Lahiru Kumara.

Sunday’s clash will be Tillakaratne Dilshan’s farewell to the 50-over game, while his final T20 international will be back in Colombo against Australia on 9 September. Sri Lanka Cricket last night confirmed both matches have been completely sold out.

Australia squad: David Warner (c), George Bailey, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa. Cover: Scott Boland, John Hastings.

Sri Lanka squad: Angelo Mathews (c), Dinesh Chandimal (vc), Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Perera, Avishka Fernando, Danushka Gunathilaka, Suranga Lakmal, Thisara Perera, Dilruwan Perera, Seekkuge Prasanna, Lakshan Sandakan, Amila Aponso, Lahiru Kumara.

Fixtures

Third ODI: Rangiri Dambulla Stadium, 28 August at 7pm AEST

Fourth ODI: Rangiri Dambulla Stadium, 31 August at 7pm AEST

Fifth ODI: Pallekele Stadium, 4 September at 7pm AEST

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