Axing powers Short's Hobart hurricane

D'Arcy Short says his ODI axing was not far from his mind during his player-of-the-match performance in the KFC BBL on Friday night, revealing selectors have asked him to improve his work against spin bowling.

Just hours after it was announced Short had been dropped from Australia's one-day squad to take on India, the left-hander blazed a match-winning 64 as his Hobart Hurricanes continued their unbeaten start to BBL|08.

Having burst into the ODI team last year on the back of his stellar Big Bash form, Short is the tournament's leading run-scorer again so far this season, but it wasn't enough for him to retain his spot in national colours.

Asked if the selection news had provided extra motivation in his 42-ball innings, Short admitted: "A little bit."

"All I can do is keep scoring runs and score runs consistently and hopefully I get back in that way. That's what I'm going to work towards," he said.

"I spoke to (selectors) the other day. It's the same (message); just score runs consistently, find different ways against spin and keep being consistent.

"I'm very happy with the way I'm hitting them."

Short posted scores of 21, 15 and 47no after playing three of the five matches in his debut series against England last year and was again dropped from the side after registering a duck in the series opener against South Africa last November.

And despite his good BBL form and strong JLT One-Day Cup campaign at the start of the summer, including an Australian record score of 257, he was overlooked in the squad announced on Friday.

The make-up of the top order that will take on India represents a deviation in thinking from the one picked at the start of the summer, with big hitters like Short and Chris Lynn replaced by steadier options Usman Khawaja and Peter Handscomb.

Selector Trevor Hohns said Australia's inability to post competitive totals during their run of 11 defeats from 13 matches in 2018 – their average total in that time was less than 250 – needed to be rectified ahead of their World Cup defence this year.

"Usman is a batsman we know can put vital runs on the board at the top of the order, and Peter is not only a fine player of spin bowling, he's also a batsman we know can hold an innings together while keeping the scoreboard ticking over," Hohns said in a statement.

"Travis Head, D'Arcy Short and Chris Lynn have been unlucky to miss out. All three have had opportunities to cement their spots, but unfortunately, they have not been as productive as we would have liked in recent times when playing ODI cricket for Australia."

World Cup winner Shane Warne, an unabashed fan of Short having worked with him at IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals last year, has been a vocal supporter of the batsman's inclusion in all three forms of the game for Australia.

Warne received support from fellow Fox Cricket commentator Kerry O'Keefe on Friday, who said the powerful left-hander has the intimidation factor that could help Australia at the World Cup.

"We've got to have a hitter," O'Keefe told Fox Cricket.

"You've got to intimidate at World Cups, Warnie's won them by intimidating. Short intimidates. I don't know why he's not there.

"He has to be included in our top couple of openers in short-form (cricket)."

The first of three ODIs against India is in Sydney on January 12 before the series moves to Adelaide and Melbourne.

Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Peter Siddle, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

India ODI squad: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Shami

Gillette ODI Series v India

First ODI: January 12, SCG (D/N)

Second ODI: January 15, Adelaide Oval (D/N)

Third ODI: January 18, MCG (D/N)