World Cup 2019: 3 players who can help Australia defend the title 

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 is all set to commence from the 30th of May 2019 in England, with the hosts squaring off against South Africa in the opening game of the tournament.

While all the teams boast of some quality players in their squad, the change in the format of the tournament is certain to add bring in some serious competition and with that unmatched entertainment all throughout the next six to seven weeks.

One of the strongest teams in this edition, Australia's chances in the World Cup will heavily rely on the alliance of David Warner and Steven Smith, with the two dashing batsmen proving to be an indispensable part of the Australian cricket team across all the formats.

Nonetheless, it is worthy to note that despite struggling in the recent past, Australia will certainly be backed to retain the title, with a series win against India and a comfortable win in the warm-up game against England bound to infuse some confidence into the team.

Here, we have a look at three players who can help Australia defend their title.

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#3 Steve Smith

Can Steve Smith carry his form from the warm-up into the league stages?

The former Australian skipper is back to playing international cricket post the ball-tampering saga and will have a pivotal role to play when it comes to performing in crunch situations and handling pressure in the middle.

One of the main factors that makes Smith a match-winner is his temperament and ability to back himself. Smith's patience while constructing an innings and ability to shift gears at will makes him one of the best batsmen in the world. In addition to that, his captaincy skills can also be of help to Aaron Finch to take bold decisions on the field.

Post the ban, he had an average IPL season with 319 runs at a strike rate of 116 while playing for the Rajasthan Royals. Smith made a return to Australian colors during the warm-up match against England and struck a fluent 147-ball 116, helping Australia to put up 297 on the board.

With form on his side, Smith will be a vital cog for Australia in the World Cup and could well be a key player to watch out for.

#2 Pat Cummins

Pat Cummins has looked in fine form in 2019

An important member of the Australian setup with his ability to bowl express pace and also contribute with the bat in hand, Pat Cummins will be banked to produce the goods with his all-round skill.

The pacer is known to generate some serious pace and bounce on pitches that assist pace bowling and with the seaming conditions in England bound to offer help to the quicks, Cummins' role will be of importance.

A first change bowler, Cummins can also be effective in the death overs and has in the recent past, troubled the best of batsmen with his constant ability to break partnerships.

In 2019, Cummins has great numbers with 17 wickets in 6 matches at an average of 14.29 and an economy of 4.39. He was the leading wicket-taker in Australia's tour of India, with 15 wickets, helping the Australians to win by 3-2 margin while coming back from two matches down in the series.

While injuries have had a dent on his playing time, Cummins looks fit this year and will have a lethal role to play in the Australian bowling attack.

#1 David Warner

David Warner will need to be at his best at the top

The trump card of the team, David Warner has a huge role to play in the Australian team after coming back from the one year ban. One of the most destructive openers in the sport, Warner's ability to single-handedly win matches will be of vital importance.

The 32-year old batsman has the ability to clear the boundaries at will and can be pipped to maintain his aggression and pile the pressure on the bowlers right from the start of the innings.

In the 2019 edition of the Indian Premier League, he was presented the 'Orange Cap' with a total of 692 runs with a strike rate of 143 in just 12 matches while featuring for the Sunrisers Hyderabad and will need to continue his blazing form into the World Cup scene for Australia to have a shot at defending their title.