Langer's 'good headache' on ODI make-up as Smith returns

Justin Langer has confirmed the return of Steve Smith for Friday's opening Dettol ODI Series clash against India but the national men's coach says the selectors are suffering from the good kind of headaches finalising the playing XI.

Smith missed Australia's last ODI series against England in September after suffering concussion at training but is now fully fit having played in the IPL and re-discovered his hands (code for his batting mojo) batting in the nets this week.

Allrounder Mitch Marsh is the only member of an unchanged XI that beat England 2-1 who is not in Sydney as he recovers from an ankle injury he sustained playing for David Warner's Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL.

Langer says the selectors are leaning towards a straight swap with Smith taking Marsh's place but pointed out his preference of having an extra bowling option in the XI.

If Smith for Marsh is the only change, it would leave four frontline bowlers to be complemented by allrounders Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis, who would likely shuffle down the order with Smith's return.

Moises Henriques and Cameron Green are the other two seam-bowling allrounders in the 18-man squad and serve as that extra bowling option should the selectors go that way.

Who makes way for the extra allrounder is perhaps what is causing Langer and the National Selection Panel those good headaches.

There is no moving skipper Aaron Finch and David Warner at the top of the order where they have formed a formidable partnership to sit fourth on the list of most prolific Australian first-wicket pairs.

Maxwell was the player of the series in the UK and produced one his finest innings for Australia with a rear-guard century in the deciding third ODI, while Stoinis was in tremendous touch during the IPL under Ricky Ponting at Delhi.

With Smith in the middle order it perhaps leaves Marnus Labuschagne as the player to possibly make way for an extra allrounder.

Labuschagne may have missed out in the UK, where he played all three matches, for the extra allrounder had Smith not suffered concussion, but as was the case in the Ashes 12 months earlier, he filled Smith's boots perfectly.

While he's not a genuine allrounder, Labuschagne offers a bowling option too with his leg-spin that helped Australia retain the Ashes and he has been one of the form players for Australia.

Choosing between Labuschagne and an extra seam-bowling allrounder is a difficult decision but one Langer is pleased to make given the depth of Australian cricket.

"We'll probably lean that way (picking Smith for Marsh) but we did learn and we've talked about in our foundation for one-day cricket going forward, we really like that extra bowling option," Langer said.

"In England we had Mitch Marsh, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell able to get us at least 10 overs. So we like that combination, the extra allrounder.

"Obviously Steve will come straight back in and there's some headaches but they're good headaches. 

"There's a lot of talk about selection, they give you a few headaches, but I promise they're really good headaches to have."

If the selectors do go for the extra allrounder, the next headache is picking between Henriques and Green.

Henriques has been in sublime touch to start the summer with two Marsh Sheffield Shield centuries for defending champions NSW after leading the Sydney Sixers to the KFC BBL title last summer with a strike rate of 148.

Image Id: 11E20F4A6A5E4513BB57C9BD442CF344 Image Caption: Moises Henriques last played a home ODI in January 2015 // Getty

The 33-year-old has bowled just 10 overs this season but bowled in the nets alongside Green at the SCG nets on Tuesday.

Green is in equally excellent red-ball form. His 197 against NSW was a career-best for the right-hander who averages 49.83 in first-class cricket.

The youngster has only just returned to bowling having suffered his second back stress fracture last summer but bowled with good pace and bounce during his handful of overs yesterday afternoon.

Langer says the two allrounders are at different ends of their careers and both provide strong selection cases.

"Mo is very, very experienced. He's in great form, deserves his opportunity back in the team on performance," Langer explained.

"Then you've got Cam Green, the youngster, 21 years old, huge potential.

"He's bowled the last two Shield games for Western Australia. I've said publicly if we're going to pick Cameron Green he has to be bowling in one-day cricket specifically, not so much in T20 cricket or Test cricket because we go for a different set-up in those two forms of the game.

"He bowled well in the nets yesterday. He's a young fast bowler, he's 200cm, so we're obviously very sensitive to his physical health – he's had two stress fractures in the past.

"But he's up and running, he's bowling well and he's certainly given us another option at the selection table that is really positive and exciting."

However, picking an extra allrounder could come at the expense of Labuschagne, who had a golden summer in 2019-20 and has two Shield centuries under his belt for the Bulls this summer.

The 26-year-old has thrived at the international level in the past 18 months and continues to excite the national coach.

"Every time Marnus walks out in Australian clothing or anywhere, he does it for Queensland as well, every time he plays he impresses more when he walks out to the middle," Langer said.

"It's a great problem to have.

"Picking the final XI is what keeps you awake at night because it's hard to pick 13 or 14 deserved players into 11 spots.

"Whatever team we put on the park we think is going to be a good team."

Dettol ODI Series v India 2020

Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey , Pat Cummins (vc), Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Daniel Sams, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

India ODI squad: Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Mayank Agarwal, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur.

First ODI: November 27, SCG, 2.40pm AEDT

Second ODI: November 29, SCG, 2.40pm AEDT

Third ODI: December 2, Manuka Oval, 2.40pm AEDT

*The matches and travel remain subject to any relevant government restrictions or requirements