'Flexible' Aussies revamp batting order

Australia captain Meg Lanning is likely to return for Monday's T20I tri-series clash with India in Mumbai – but don't necessarily expect to see her batting in the top order.

Lanning was rested from Australia's second tri-series game on Friday – their second game in as many days – as part of the ongoing management of the right shoulder she underwent surgery on last August.

In Thursday's game, she was listed at No.3 behind openers Beth Mooney and Alyssa Healy but strode to the crease at No.5, with hard-hitting batters Ashleigh Gardner and Elyse Villani sent out ahead of her.

It was just the fourth time in 70 T20I innings that Lanning had batted outside the top three.

But Mott indicated it's an approach Australia could continue as they seek to make the most of the Power Play overs where only two fielders are permitted outside the circle.

"I'm really excited about what our batting group looks like at the moment," Mott said in Mumbai on Saturday.

"Just having Villani and Gardner in there, potentially in the Power Play, with Meg Lanning to put ego aside and potentially bat at number five with Ellyse Perry and Rachael Haynes at six and seven, we stack up pretty well.

"We've got an aggressive approach (up front) but if it doesn't quite come off, we've got some senior players in the middle who can read the game and fashion out a score."

Stacking the top order with the biggest hitters is the approach that Australia's men took into their T20I tri-series against England New Zealand in February, boasting a top seven of David Warner, D'Arcy Short, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Finch, Marcus Stoinis and Alex Carey.

Mott was an assistant coach on that tour, working with Darren Lehmann and Ricky Ponting – and he sees Australia's stunning form in that series, which they went through undefeated to climb to No.2 in the ICC team rankings, as a blueprint his team can follow leading into this November's World T20 in the Caribbean.

"(That tour) was probably just a consolidation that we're also heading in the right direction," Mott said.

"The flexibility around the batting order that the team had is something you can see here and it's probably been brought more into our eyeline.

"We've stood over the edge (of it) a few times but now we're right into it and the team is believing in it.

"It's good in a way that it didn't quite come off against England – no one is panicked.

"We're in the same spot the men were before their tri-series when they were ranked seventh, then they won five games straight.

"It goes to show if you're prepared to be bold and aggressive in this format, you'll get the rewards."

The approach didn't come off on Friday when, sent in by England, Australia posted 8-149 – a total reeled in by England with three overs to spare.

But the defeat won't prompt a change from Mott and his staff, who see making the most of their explosive hitters – and the sheer class of the likes of Lanning, Perry and Haynes – as the key to turning around what's been a disappointing record for the team in 20-over cricket of late.

"It didn't come off against England but it wasn't horrific, I think we've digested it pretty well and we'll be much better in the next game against India," Mott said.

"I especially think in India it's absolutely paramount that you take advantage of the two fielders out but it's not all about that, it then comes down to the middle overs and continuing that momentum.

"I think what we've tried to do is ignore those wickets lost a little bit, and make sure we don't waste any balls.

"Everyone adhered to that (on Friday) and went out in the fashion we wanted them to.

"We know it's not going to come off every time but on balance, we'll win a lot more games by going that."

Mott also revealed there was an element of coercion in convincing Lanning to sit out on Friday – the last thing the national skipper wanted having spent seven months on the sidelines.

"She was a reluctant absentee from that game, she took a lot convincing," he said.

"But there was a chance she might not have made this tour at one stage, it's been a long recovery with ups and downs.

"We're taking a long-term view, there's a lot of time off after this series and we don't want her playing through pain.

"It's really important we manage her workload, she's worked too hard over the last seven months to risk it by over playing it."

Commonwealth Bank Tour of India

Australia T20 squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Naomi Stalenberg, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington

India T20I squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Mithali Raj, Veda Krishnamurthy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Anuja Patil, Deepti Sharma, Taniya Bhatia (wicket-keeper), Poonam Yadav, Ekta Bisht, Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey, Pooja Vastrakar, Rumeli Dhar, Mona Meshram.

England T20I squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Kate Cross, Alice Davidson-Richards, Sophie Ecclestone, Tash Farrant, Katie George, Jenny Gunn, Alex Hartley, Danielle Hazell, Amy Jones, Anya Shrubsole, Bryony Smith, Nat Sciver, Fran Wilson, Danni Wyatt

Warm-up match Australia beat India A by 321 runs. Report

Warm-up match Australia beat India A by seven wickets. Report

ODI series

First ODI Australia won by eight wickets. Scorecard

Second ODI Australia won by 60 runs. Scorecard

Third ODI Australia won by 97 runs. Scorecard

T20I tri-series

First T20I Australia defeated India by six wickets. Scorecard

Second T20I England defeated Australia by eight wickets. Scorecard

Third T20I India v England, Brabourne Stadium, March 25. Live Coverage

Fourth T20I Australia v India, Brabourne Stadium, March 26. Live Coverage

Fifth T20I Australia v England, Brabourne Stadium, March 28. Live Coverage

Sixth T20I India v England, Brabourne Stadium, March 29. Live Coverage

Final Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, March 31. Live Coverage