Langer offers advice to returning duo

Australian coach Justin Langer insists there's no awkwardness as World Cup preparations begin in Brisbane with returning pair Steven Smith and David Warner in tow.

Confident the pair will handle the heat set to come their way in England next month, the charismatic former Test opener has just one bit of advice.

"It's the biggest lesson of my sporting career ... don't mess with the Barmy Army," he said.

The pair will wear green and gold again in three practice games against New Zealand in Brisbane next week after returning to the fray after their year-long bans.

Warner has mounted a compelling case for a spot at the top of the order after collecting 692 runs in a 12-game IPL cameo with Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Langer remains coy on where the pair will fit into a one-day side on an eight-game winning streak and in good spirits after a team meeting on Thursday night broke the ice.

"There's not tension, honestly we're so excited to have the boys back, just so excited about playing cricket," Langer said.

"It's a bit like facing fast bowling isn't it, you worry about it until when you get out there and it's not as bad as you thought it was."

He said the pair would be "thicker skinned" for their time out of the national set-up but that he learnt the hard way about poking the bear when playing England.

Langer had just scored a career-high 250 in the 2002 Boxing Day Test when he reacted to the Barmy Army's taunts of teammate Brett Lee.

"I walked in, think I'm Viv Richards, gold chain, chest out ... and I made one comment about the Barmy Army and they started singing the song about the seven dwarfs," he laughed.

"So you don't mess with the Barmy Army."

Langer will continue to bring the humour but he said humility would remain a key part of the side's campaign as they repair their image following the Cape Town sandpaper affair.

"We've had a very humbling experience and we brought it on ourselves," he said.

"I still have that vision of Steve almost being frog-marched out of South Africa.

"We saw some sad vision 12 months ago to some really positive vision to where we are now."

2019 World Cup

Australia's squad: Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

May 25: (warm-up) England v Australia, Southampton

May 27: (warm-up) Australia v Sri Lanka, Southampton

June 1: Afghanistan v Australia, Bristol (D/N)

June 6: Australia v West Indies, Trent Bridge

June 9: India v Australia, The Oval

June 12: Australia v Pakistan, Taunton

June 15: Sri Lanka v Australia, The Oval

June 20: Australia v Bangladesh, Trent Bridge

June 25: England v Australia, Lord's

June 29: New Zealand v Australia, Lord's (D/N)

July 6: Australia v South Africa, Old Trafford (D/N)

July 9: Semi-Final 1, Old Trafford

July 11: Semi-Final 2, Edgbaston

July 14: Final, Lord's

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE