Usman Khawaja unlucky to miss out, says Steve Smith

But Australia’s selectors are still unable to squeeze Khawaja into the ODI side, preferring Shaun Marsh to open with David Warner in Auckland. When asked if the latest results dented Australia confidence ahead of the New Zealand tour, Faulkner replied on the contrary.

Smith said he was not concerned after his side’s strong 4-1 defeat of India through January, but did note playing away is a different business.

“I think he will play one of the games at least”.

Brendon McCullum, who is set to retire after the T20I series later in the month, will look to bid adieu to his ODI career on a note as pleasant as the entertainment he has provided to the cricket world so far. “We scored 300 on every occasion in the recent one-day series (against India) at home”.

“I think you can make up for a lot of runs at the back end (of an innings), particularly with the short boundaries but while the ball’s swinging around you have to back your defence early and give yourselves a chance to get in”.

“These are two quality teams, World Cup finalists and I think New Zealand has won 18 of 20 one-dayers here, so that’s a pretty daunting record”.

“We’ve got quite an inexperienced bowling attack”, Smith said.

As New Zealand and Australia prepare for their ODI series, Steve Smith wants his team to adapt immediately.

“He does need a hit going into what’s a big Test series for us and he’s batting extremely well so he’s unlucky to miss out but Shaun’s going to get the first opportunity as he played well in Australia and he’s batting extremely well as well”.

“From every fan’s point of view and all the guys in the changing room as well this is certainly the one we’ve been waiting for”, he told media of the ODI and Test series against their trans-Tasman rivals. The other eight, Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Grant Elliott, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi Adam Milne and Trent Boult are all expected to play tomorrow.

Marsh had to be dropped from the Test squad even after scoring 182 as Usman Khawaja came back from injury whereas Marsh had to be benched again after scoring 2 consecutive fifties in ODI matches against India when David Warner came back after paternity leave. The spin extracted by Pakistan’s part-time legspinner Azhar Ali on the same pitch on Sunday showed New Zealand that Sodhi could be a good option, but Smith said Australia preferred to trust their pacemen. He went on to say he thought the wicket might “swing around a bit”, citing the experience of the World Cup rubber at the same venue where New Zealand swung Australia out for 151 before almost returning the favour.