LISA STHALEKAR: Australia’s next generation on display ahead of 2027 one-day World Cup

India celebrated their veterans as Australia celebrated their future.

While Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli drew the spotlight on their final tour of Australia, it was the hosts who took the series — and a crucial step towards building their next World Cup squad.

It was an important victory, given Australia’s last one-day international-series win came in September last year against England. With several retirements from this format including, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, David Warner and Marcus Stoinis, Australia are searching to fill the void and create another potential cup-winning outfit.

This was evident throughout the three-match series as Australia ushered in the next generation.

For India, there was a distinct difference in their approach. Winding back the clock they allowed their two legends to play all three fixtures as they have indicated a desire to play the next World Cup in 2027.

Neither player had played any competitive cricket since the IPL that finished in June.

Australia must rebuild towards the next World Cup and given the scarcity of the format in bilateral matches, there isn’t a lot of time to bed down the new combination.

Our next outing in this format is March 2026 against Pakistan therefore, players are going to have to grab their opportunities with both hands when presented the chance.

So, what do the selectors need to look for?

Our openers, Mitch Marsh and Travis Head, seem to be locked in. Our fast-bowling stocks, if fit and firing, should be fine, with Pat Cummins coming back in to lead the side, with his two good mates, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

They will need some back-up just in case and Xavier Bartlett has performed well, yet there are several good options floating around. In fast bowling terms 2027 is still a long way away.

In the spin department, Adam Zampa continues to unravel sides, though he will need another ally apart from the part-time off spinning option of Travis Head. Matthew Kuhnemann got a chance throughout the series and there is something about a left-arm finger spinner that all teams love.

Young NSW leggy Tanveer Sangha has also been in the mix.

However, one area that Australia is still searching for is their No. 3 and No. 4 batters, plus middle order all-rounders who can finish the game like Maxwell and Stoinis.

We saw Matt Short given the opportunity at No. 3 and despite one innings of note he hasn’t locked it down yet. I would imagine given the amount of runs Marnus Labuschagne has scored domestically he might push his case for his inclusion in the green and gold. Though his eyes are firmly on getting back into the Test side.

Matt Renshaw also made his debut in this format, eight years after he received his baggy green. The Queenslander middle-order batter showed composure and looked more comfortable in his approach.

His stocks are rising and if he has another good outing in shield cricket, he may be the smoky to join Usman Khawaja at the top for the Ashes.

Cam Green, if fit, would slot back into the playing XI with ease. Therefore, we may see another bat off (cue eye roll) between of Short, Renshaw and Labuschagne for potentially two positions.

Cooper Connolly, pictured, who has been elevated to the national side in all three formats with haste, replayed the faith this series. His innings in Adelaide, where he remained unbeaten on 61 to ensure the team got across the line, showed maturity and calmness. Cricket Australia have invested a lot in him by selecting him on Australia A tours.

In terms of keepers, Alex Carey lost his position to Josh Inglis during the Champions Trophy but found his back in the playing XI as a batter. Josh Philippe received an opportunity during this series due to injuries and one of those guys will miss out on travelling to South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe, in 2027.

The tall Tasmanian Mitch Owen has taken the game by storm since this year’s Big Bash League final, also made his ODI debut this series. The only issue for Owen is that he will have to learn the format through osmosis as he predominately plays T20 cricket around the world, having only played 23 List A matches.

What I saw throughout the series were players showing us glimpses of what they can do on the international stage. Could then win a World Cup tomorrow?

No. Consistently and situational awareness needs to be honed on future tours and additional opportunities Cricket Australia may find those fringe players.

It is exciting what the future holds as Australia’s World Cup squad is still in the making.