How Australia can turn their ODI fortunes around against their neighbours

As New Zealand visit Australia for three innocuous ODI matches, the World is keen to watch India take on England. Add to that the hype of the day-night Test Australia are taking part in against Pakistan a few weeks later. The ODI series is irrelevant to the cricketing world and is snubbed like any meaningless bilateral ODI series usually is.

Yet, Australia go into this series with a point to prove. They had been whitewashed by the Proteas, their first ever such loss in a five-match ODI series. They might have won in Lanka but they were far from convincing and their disastrous Test campaign was highlighted so much that the ODI series remained in the shadows.

The year thus far

In 2016, Australia have won all the ODI series they have taken part in except the series against the Proteas on their home turf. There, they did not have the services of two phenomenal modern day bowlers, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

Yet, something about them is missing. The world is familiar with the Australian juggernaut of the late 90s and early 2000s, sides that rarely scrapped for victories. Even rarer was a meek succumb to a familiar foe.

The series against South Africa came after a win against Lanka under Warner. As Smith took over, Australia had no clue how to deal with South Africa's ruthless batting, even in the absence of AB de Villiers. Even Hashim Amla wasn't picked for a couple of matches as Rilee Rossouw, David Miller and Quinton de Kock displayed a new look approach in South Africa's batting. Australia and their newbie bowlers had no answers.

Huge chance to make things right

The much awaited series

They come to this series, exposed and vulnerable, especially after another embarrassing home Test series loss to the same nation. They were beaten with bat, ball, in the field and by brilliant captaincy. They surrendered meekly, changed personnel around and won the last match of the series. But are they back to their confident best? The Test and ODI teams are different but the key personnel remain the same.

They are aware that New Zealand have a new look outfit themselves, and arrive after being bruised severely by India in India. They had a Test series against Pakistan after that and won that 2-0 but have they recovered from the series defeat against India? Two teams, bruised and hurt, face off and it looks like an interesting match on paper.

Chance for redemption

This series presents the Aussies with a real chance to assess where their ODI team is in terms of preparation for the Champions Trophy. They also need to assess their personnel, with the squad being shuffled and rotated around too much in the past few series.

They have included Glenn Maxwell, Pat Cummins, James Faulkner and a debutant in Hilton Cartwright for this series. Each of them has a point to prove. Appallingly, they have left out John Hastings, the bowler with most ODI wickets in the World in 2016. He was one of the better bowlers in the preceding two ODI series and one wonders what criteria Australian selectors keep to select teams.

Cutting out the mistakes

Australia’s fielding must improve

To turn things around in this series, Australia need to cut out the little mistakes that cost them in South Africa and right through the year, in fact. Some have affected the results of matches and they cannot afford that to continue especially with the Champions Trophy around the corner.

What do they need to fix?

#1 Fielding and catching

Australia have never looked so poor on the cricket field. Their fielders drop catches with such frequency that one wonders whether fielding is anymore a drill during their practice sessions. They have dropped quite a few costly catches this year and their slip fielders and outfielders have been terrible.

If they need any motivation, they need not look around too much. They were eye witness to some exceptional fielding by the Proteas during the recent Test series. Wherever they search for redemption, Australia need to field and catch better to win matches.

#2 The lower middle order

There was a time Australia had a scary lower order comprising of Andrew Symonds, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee. They could very well form numbers 3-7. That Australian batting line-up is a thing of the past and the present one looks weak after no.5 with Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa not as gifted with the bat.

On good bowling wickets, Australia cannot afford to lose wickets up front because if they do, they rarely come back. Australia need to find some inspiring performances from their lower middle if they are to stand a chance of winning the series.

#3 The big hundreds and huge scores

The big hundreds, except from David Warner, who has been absolutely phenomenal, have vanished from Australian batsmen. None of Steven Smith, Aaron Finch, Glenn Maxwell, George Bailey or Matthew Wade have hit a huge hundred since the World Cup. In fact, Australia's batting in 2016 has faded off. In times where teams rack up 300s with ease, Australia have struggled to get to that mark.

Since the series against India in January, Australia have crossed 300 just once, the 371 against South Africa in the recent ODI series, and even that they lost courtesy a blazing David Miller knock. The big hundreds and big 300s need to comeback for Australia to start dominating in ODIs more.

How do they turn it around?

Maxwell has the ability to destroy oppositions

Australia need to start picking teams with consistency. But since the teams are already selected, we are not dwelling on it further. They will have to make do with the squad in hand. That said, there are things they can start changing and here is a look at some of them.

#1 The role of Glenn Maxwell

Maxwell has been brought back into the ODI setup and Australia need to start using him wisely. He is a game changer without a shadow of a doubt. To use his skills at no.6 is a waste of a prodigious talent who can win games single-handedly. Australia need to bat Maxwell at 4 or 5 and bring in Bailey, well capable of finishing an innings in fine fashion below him.

#2 Complementing Starc and Hazlewood

So often in the year, Australia have seen oppositions play out the opening spell by Starc and Hazlewood and feast on their weaker bowlers with ease. What they need is a good backup for the duo. They had Hastings and should have picked him, but since he isn't here, Cummins has to be that 3rd seamer. While Marsh is a decent bowler in helpful conditions, he varies his lines too much to find success.

#3 Carrying on starts

They need to convert the starts that David Warner or Steven Smith invariably provide and turn them into huge totals. While Bailey, Maxwell, Head and Marsh are capable of that, they have rarely performed their duties to perfection. The batting needs to beef up after Warner and Smith and unless that happens the huge totals will not be scaled.

#4 The captaincy

Steven Smith has looked confused and uninspiring in his captaincy, fading off in comparison to Faf several times in the series. His usage of spinners have been questionable and his ability to tweak plans in the midst of games have come in for heavy criticism. Smith needs to put on his thinking cap and innovate and mix things around to get the best out of a rather good group of players.

#5 Using Adam Zampa

Zampa is one good leg spinner Australia have since Shane Warne's retirement. He has the right variations and a lot of control for a young spinner. But using him aptly is important. He needs to be used as an attacking option and not as a defensive one if Smith needs to bring out the best in this leggie.

DhonI showed a good example of that in the IPL where he used Zampa perfectly. Smith would have seen that from close quarters being on the same team and could take a leaf out of Dhoni's captaincy book.