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Twenty20 vision: Christian urges selectors to eye specialists

T20 journeyman targeting an international return for next year’s World Cup as Australia ponder their middle-order options

Veteran allrounder Dan Christian believes he can be the middle-order saviour Australia are looking for at next year's T20 World Cup, and he's urged national selectors to not forget 20-over specialists like himself who play the format constantly around the globe.

T20 skipper Aaron Finch is searching for a batting finisher ahead of Australia's Cup campaign in 12 months and selectors have opted for Ashton Turner, Ben McDermott and Alex Carey to fill that role in their Gillette T20 INTL campaigns against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, starting this Sunday.

Overlooked for the upcoming series of matches, Christian is one of the most decorated T20 players at Australia's disposal having won seven domestic titles globally. He was also one of just 10 Australians picked up in Sunday's star-studded player draft for the new 'Hundred' competition in the UK next year.

Since being cut from Victoria’s contract list 18 months ago, the 36-year-old has joined countrymen like Chris Lynn, Fawad Ahmed, Ben Cutting and Chris Green on the global T20 circuit and says selecting full-time Twenty20 players could help Australia reverse their disappointing record in the game's shortest format.

"I'm not sure what way the selectors are going to go, but I think that would be certainly something to consider," Christian, who played the last of his 16 T20Is for Australia two years ago, told cricket.com.au.

"Guys that are now specialising in that one format (and) are doing it all the time.

"The last 18 months, I think my Twenty20 cricket has got a lot better because I'm just focusing on that format and the role I play. I bat late in the innings all the time, so I get used to being in those situations. And generally when I bowl, it's in the middle and sometimes at the death. I'm just working on those specific skills all the time and I think it's helped my cricket a lot.

"(The World Cup) is certainly something I’d love to be a part of.

"I feel like I'm playing probably the best cricket of my career and as long as I stay fit and keep putting those performances on the board, then hopefully I can be a part of it."

The shock omissions of KFC Big Bash League stars like Lynn, D’Arcy Short and Marcus Stoinis from Australia’s T20 squad to start the summer represents a change in thinking from selectors, with Finch saying the national side wants to move away from playing top-order players in the middle order.

With Finch, David Warner, Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell tipped to fill the top-four positions at the World Cup, spots are available for players who possess the unique set of skills required to bat in the middle and lower-order in 20-over cricket.

Christian's performance in the finals of last season’s BBL underlines his credentials in this highly-specialist position; the right-hander clubbed 31 not out from just 14 balls in a tense run chase in the semi-final before he scored a vital 38 not out batting at No.7 in the final after his Melbourne Renegades had collapsed to 5-65 in the 10th over.

"That's one of the things I've got better as the older I've got," he said of the semi-final against the Sydney Sixers, when he steered the Renegades home after the run rate had ballooned beyond 14 runs an over late in the match.

Christian launches match-winning sixes

"Five ... ten years ago, there's no way I would have been that calm in that situation. I would have stuffed it up for sure. I would have probably tried to hit one that wasn't quite there, tried to hit it too hard, mishit it and hit it up in the air and it would have been out.

"I think as you get older, you're certainly much more calm in those kind of situations.

"I wrestled with what role I'm best at throughout my career. But the last four or five years, just specialising in that; coming in around the 10th or 12th over or whatever it might be and facing a couple of overs of spin and medium pace to get the eye in and then trying to cash in late against the fast bowlers.

Image Id: 63D9B068ACC1428B9376D45AF92C44BF Image Caption: Christian and Peter Siddle will co-captain the PM's XI this week // Getty

"That’s what I've practiced the most and what I've started specialising in and I've been lucky enough to help contribute to a couple of wins."

Christian will get a rare chance to test himself against an international side this week when he co-captains the Prime Minister’s XI against Sri Lanka in Canberra on Thursday.

He will then head to South Africa for the second edition of the Mzansi Super League, which he won with the Jozi Stars last year, before returning to the Renegades for BBL|09.

Gillette T20 INTLs v Sri Lanka

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, David Warner, Adam Zampa

Sri Lanka squad: Lasith Malinga (c), Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Niroshan Dickwella, Dasun Shanaka, Shehan Jayasuriya, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Oshada Fernando, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara, Isuru Udana, Kasun Rajitha

October 27: First T20I, Adelaide Oval, 2pm (Fox & Kayo)

October 30: Second T20I, Gabba, 6.10pm (Fox & Kayo)

November 1: Third T20I, MCG, 7.10pm (Fox & Kayo)

Gillette T20 INTLs v Pakistan

November 3: First T20I, SCG, 2.30pm (Fox & Kayo)

November 5: Second T20I, Manuka Oval, 7.10pm (Fox & Kayo)

November 8: Third T20I, Perth Stadium, 4.30pm (Fox & Kayo)