Australia begin a three-match ODI series against Pakistan at the MCG on Monday after which they have just one more match, against Sri Lanka in February, before the Champions Trophy. They are missing Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head for the series due to paternity leave and Cameron Green is a long-term absentee due to his back injury. They have picked a strong squad to face Pakistan, but there are still some questions to answer before February's tournament. With Head and Marsh absent, Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk get a golden chance to open in three straight ODIs and push their case to be the permanent replacement for David Warner in the 50-over format. Short currently has the inside running, opening in three of the last four ODIs in England and making a match-winning 30-ball 58 in the series-decider in Bristol where he and Head added 78 in seven overs to get Australia well ahead of DLS. The pair have found a nice groove at the top in T20I cricket, too, with Fraser-McGurk relegated to No. 3 in his last T20I.

Fraser-McGurk did not get a chance to play in the ODIs with Marsh opening in three of the games, including alongside Short when Head was absent in Durham. There is a chance that Marsh could take the spot for the Champions Trophy in order to slide Steven Smith up to No. 3 and split up him and Marnus Labuschagne with Josh Inglis potentially moving to No. 4. But a strong showing from one or both of Short and Fraser-McGurk could seal the spot and Sean Abbott was expecting both men to put on a show. "Fireworks," Abbott said at the MCG on Saturday. "And I'm not hoping to see it. I can almost guarantee it. Obviously their plan A, and it's no secret, is to put the bowlers under immense pressure. And we saw that a little bit with Rooster [Fraser-McGurk] last year. He was facing Alzarri Joseph bowling well over 150kph and he was just trying to park him over the deep square leg boundary."

Green wasn't in the XI that won the ODI World Cup in 2023 and nor was Marcus Stoinis. Stoinis was squeezed out of the side for the semi-final and the final, with Labuschagne picked as a specialist batter at No. 5. Australia only had Glenn Maxwell, Marsh and the part-time offerings of Head and Labuschagne in the line-up to make up the fifth bowling option. Australia's coach Andrew McDonald has long talked about playing an allrounder heavy line-up with only three specialist bowlers and batting all the way to No. 8. It was something they trialled with mixed success in the UK, in part forced by the spate of injuries to their fast bowlers. Aaron Hardie was one of the shining lights of the UK tour with bat and ball. Hardie, Stoinis and Cooper Connolly will all get a chance to push their case in this series although Connolly will miss the first game due to his involvement in the Australia A match against India A.

Connolly's ability to bowl left-arm orthodox, something Australia does not have among it's front-line batters, is a huge part of his selection. The opening debate could also impact the allrounder conversation. Short's presence adds bowling options to the line-up. If he is usurped by Fraser-McGurk, or Marsh opens for the Champions Trophy, there will be a need for allrounders further down the order. It could also impact both Smith and Labuschagne. The pair are the perfect firewalls in case of early trouble or to manage run-a-ball chases, as Labuschagne showed in both the World Cup final and the first game of the series against England. But on Pakistan pitches, were 350-plus might be needed, Australia could call on more power in the middle order. Hardie and Stoinis' ability to bowl with the new ball also gives Australia options to bat one of them at No. 8 if needed.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan