‘Bloody hard’: Finch faces Cup conundrum

Just as Australia have stumbled upon the steady, settled formula every one-day team around the world desperately craves, they’re again set for major change.

That's the conundrum facing Aaron Finch and the rest of the side's brains trust with the World Cup on their doorstep, as the resurgent Aussies ride the wave of a stunning run of form that has come without what were their two best batters.

On the eve of the bans on Steve Smith and David Warner expiring, Australia defeated Pakistan to storm to their sixth-straight ODI victory and seal back-to-back series wins abroad for the first time since 2016.

Just how, where and when the duo fit back into a batting line-up that has clicked like no other Australian top order since the 2015 World Cup, including ones that featured Smith and Warner, remains to be seen.

"It is bloody hard," Finch said candidly of the selection questions confronting the team when the pair are available for this year’s World Cup.

"Especially when the side is playing so well, it's going to be difficult. No matter who it is.

"I will definitely have my views - and Justin (Langer) and I, we talk all the time, every day about selections and team make-ups, different scenarios and things like that.

"At the end of the day, they're the selectors and it's an incredibly tough decision.

"Whatever balance you go with in that 15-man squad (for the World Cup), there's going to be some very unlucky blokes out there."

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are also set to make comebacks in time for the tournament, but the injection of two world-class batsman who will have spent 14 months out of international cricket will present a far greater challenge.

Smith and Warner have shown flashes of their immense skill in overseas T20 jaunts during their suspensions and both said they felt like they never left the Australian camp during a brief meeting in Dubai earlier this month.

But there will be undoubtedly be an adjustment period – not just for those two, but for the whole top-order.

With 886 runs at 81 between them during their winning streak, Finch and Usman Khawaja have developed a potent bond opening the batting, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb and Glenn Maxwell have made telling contributions through the middle order, while Marcus Stoinis has established himself as an important figure with both bat and ball.

Underpinning their success, Finch says, is the kind of continuity and familiarity the top two one-day sides in the world - England and India - have cultivated.

Which makes the potential returns or Smith and Warner all the more problematic.

"The fact that guys are getting more of an opportunity to keep developing their role and developing the role they've been asked to play or the game demands … is gold," the skipper said.

"That probably goes under the radar a little bit when you're looking at teams that have been successful in the past.

"England have had a great four years since the last World Cup, but they've had a very settled side. India are no different.

"I think leading up to the 2015 World Cup, we'd had the same 15 players for a good 18 months or so. That goes a long way - not just to your culture but just an understanding of how each other plays.

"How Maxi (Maxwell) is going to play in this scenario or how I'm going to play or SOS (Marsh) or Uzzie (Khawaja).

"It just helps out a lot and it's been great that we've had a really similar squad for quite a while now."

With a series win against Pakistan already secured, just how Warner and Smith fit back into that squad is now front of Finch’s mind.

Qantas Tour of the UAE

First ODI: Australia won by eight wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by eight wickets

Third ODI: Australia won by 80 runs

Fourth ODI: v Pakistan, March 29 in Dubai

Fifth ODI: v Pakistan, March 31 in Dubai

(all matches begin at 10pm AEDT)