5 batsmen Australia should try in ODIs

Australia has produced some of the greatest batsmen the game of cricket has ever seen. From the great Sir Don Bradman to the legendary Ricky Ponting, the Aussie batsmen have always remained as one of the most skillful and gifted batsmen.

These guys have always been able to bring their top game to the fore irrespective of the opposition or the conditions. Michael Bevan, Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, David Warner, and Steven Smith are some of the recent names in the list.

However, the current Aussie side has seen a dip in its batting department. Barring the likes of Warner and Smith, the batsmen have failed to deliver consistently. This has lead to the team's embarrassing defeats in South Africa, at the Champions Trophy, and even in the recently concluded India series.

There are many gaps to be filled and puzzling questions to be answered on the batsmen's technique and temperament. Looking ahead at the 2019 World Cup, here are a few new faces that could be tried in the ODI squad.

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#5 Daniel Hughes

Daniel Hughes is a left-handed batsman hailing from the city of Sydney. The southpaw represents the New South Wales Blues and the Sydney Sixers in the domestic tournaments. Hughes bats at top of the order, predominantly at the opening slot.

The 28-year-old is a free-flowing batsman who possesses some beautiful strokes. A treat to watch when in full flow, Hughes is generally strong square off the wicket and loves facing the fast bowlers.

He had a brilliant Matador Cup last year and ended up scoring 386 runs at an average of 64.33. He emerged as the tournament's third-highest run-getter. Currently, Hughes averages close to 60 in his 10 List A games and can be groomed to become one of Australia's potent weapon at the top of the order.

#4 Kurtis Patterson

The New South Welshman has been on the selectors' radar recently

The 23-year-old is one of New South Wales' batting mainstays in the middle order. At mere age of 18, he became the youngest batsman to score a hundred in the Sheffield Shield Cup's history.

Patterson has worked over the past few years and is now beaming with a much-improved technique and a tighter defense. In fact, Cricket Australia's Adam Burnett rated him as of the best batting talents in Australia currently.

Patterson represents the Blues and the Sydney Thunder in the domestic competitions. In the previous year's Matador Cup, he ended up scoring 247 runs at an average of close to 50. The left-handed batsman has played 31 List A games thus far and has a decent average of 35. If given enough opportunities and groomed properly, Patterson might turn out be a valuable No 4 for the Kangaroos.

#3 Matt Renshaw

Matt Renshaw has made a name for himself with his solid technique

Matt Renshaw is fast emerging as one of Australia's most reliable batsmen in the Test format. The tall batsman from Queensland has impressed everyone with his gritty temperament and ability to negotiate both pace and spin equally well. The 20-year-old is one of the brightest prospects in store for the Australians when it comes to the shorter formats as well.

In a List A career of just 6 games for Queensland, Renshaw has managed to put up some impressive numbers that includes an average of 48. Unfortunately, his last Matador Cup, which looked promising, came to an end with a mid-tournament-injury.

Renshaw, with his sound technique and solid approach, can prove to a major asset in the batting department of the Australian ODI squad as well. He can certainly make a difference on the sub-continent wickets against spin as well. The only thing he might have to work on is his scoring rate.

#2 Nic Maddinson

Nic Maddinson has been knocking the selectors' doors for quite some time now

Another southpaw on the list, the aggressive batsman from New South Wales has been on the selectors' radars for quite some time now. With an ability to score quickly and take the game away from the opposition, Nic Maddinson adds the X-factor his side in the shorter formats. He started his career as an opener, but settled down as a middle order batsman eventually.

Maddinson has not had the tide going his way in the longer format, but the ODI format might just be the perfect one for him. In his 62 List A games, Maddinson has scored over 2300 runs at a decent average of 36.5 and a strike rate of close to 88. He also has 5 centuries to his name.

He was a key member in New South Wales' triumphant journey last year at the Matador Cup. Maddinson played crucial knocks in both the semis and the finals of that tournament and ended up as one of the top run scorers for his team. He might be an ideal choice for the Australian middle order or lower middle order in the coming days.

#1 Cameron Bancroft

Cameron Bancroft promises a lot of potential

Cameron Bancroft is one of Western Australia's batting kingpins. The right-handed wicketkeeper batsman brings a lot to the table. Apart from his batting prowess, Bancroft is even an excellent wicket-keeper. Known for his gritty and old-fashioned style of batting, he is someone who doesn't give up easily at any situation and tries to wear away the opposition by accumulating runs.

Bancroft boasts a sound technique and can negotiate the bowlers of any sort. His match winning half-century for Australia A against India A last year is rated as one of his top knocks. The 24-year-old has played 36 List A games so far Western Australia and has scored at a healthy average of close to 35.

He had a decent outing in last year's Matador Cup, too, where he scored at an average of 44.25. Bancroft is not much far from making his debut for the national side. Ever since Brad Haddin's retirement, Australia have failed to find a reliable wicket-keeper batsman to solve their woes in the ODIs.

And it seems like Cameron Bancroft might just be their answer.