Aussies eyes on Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka ODIs

While mystery surrounds the starting line-up Australia will take into the first of two ODIs against Sri Lanka tomorrow, stand-in skipper Steve Smith concedes his team will have one eye on the upcoming Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan.

Australia's 15-man squad for that event, which gets underway in barely a week, will be lodged with the ICC overnight and publicly unveiled on Wednesday.

It has already been vastly re-shaped from the preliminary 15-man group announced last month, with fast bowlers Pat Cummins (ankle) and Josh Hazlewood (hip) to miss as well as allrounders Mitch Marsh (back) and Marcus Stoinis (retired from ODI cricket).

The ODI squad Australia currently has in Sri Lanka includes a number of players who have doubtless figured in the selectors' decision-making over the final make-up of the Champions Trophy touring party.

But the one certainty is that all will be given some match time in the two ODIs against Sri Lanka in Colombo tomorrow and Friday.

As was the case for the Tests, Smith has been named captain of the ODI outfit in Cummins' absence and seems likely to take that role into the Champions Trophy with Test deputy Travis Head as his vice-captain.

Smith said today no decision had been finalised as to the make-up of the outfit he'll lead into tomorrow's daytime game, with a couple of Test players plus all specialist bowlers sitting out today's optional pre-game training session at Premadasa Stadium.

"Not entirely sure just yet," Smith told reporters in Colombo when asked what Australia's starting XI might look like tomorrow.

"Training today is optional, and I think a few guys will sit back at the hotel and relax.

'We'll wait and see this afternoon what we're going to come in with tomorrow.

"A few guys are still unwinding from the Test series."

The non-Test playing members of the ODI squad have been in Colombo for several days and been preparing for Australia's first 50-over international since the three-match home series against Pakistan last November.

They included pace bowlers Spencer Johnson, Nathan Ellis and Ben Dwarshuis, top-order batters Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk, allrounders Glenn Maxwell and Aaron Hardie and leg spinner Adam Zampa.

The squad also contains auxiliary members of the Test touring party Sean Abbott, Cooper Connolly and Tanveer Sangha, who was part of the Test outfit as a development player but has been touted as a potential travelling reserve for the Champions Trophy.

"Some of the group that are here have been playing some Big Bash, so they've been playing white-ball cricket," Smith said about the quick transition to the white-ball game.

"And the guys that have been playing Test cricket need to get in tune with the 50-over format.

"I don't think it takes too much for most of the guys these days to just get back into the swing of things and get the pace of the game.

"That's what it's all about in these next two games."

Head did not take part in today's centre-wicket session, but fellow Test members Smith, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey undertook some light work with the former pair walking laps.

Carey took the keeping gloves at the start of the session which suggested he might fill that role in the first of the ODIs, with Inglis having limited involvement across the first days of the second Test having suffered a back spasm.

Smith also engaged in some light throwing as he tested the right elbow injury he aggravated when hurling a ball from the infield on the final day of the second Test.

"It's all right," Smith said of the problem that had initially threatened to curtail his involvement in the Sri Lanka Tests which he finished as player of the series.

"My throwing is probably going to be limited for a little bit.

"I threw one the other day off balance which wasn't ideal at that stage, but it feels a lot better than it did when I injured it initially during that Big Bash game (in January).

'It won't affect my batting, just my throwing a little bit at this stage."

Smith admitted he's not played a daytime ODI since Australia's successful World Cup campaign in India in 2023, having missed the day game against Pakistan last November in which Inglis was captain.

The 10am local start time is a result of Premadasa Stadium currently undergoing a refit of its lighting capacity.

But the ground is expected to be close to its capacity of almost 30,000 for the game which coincides with the Nawam Full Moon Poya public holiday.

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka

First Test: Australia win by an innings and 242 runs

Second Test: Australia win by nine wickets

Sri Lanka Test squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka (subject to fitness), Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sonal Dinusha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nishan Peiris, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Milan Rathnayake

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

First ODI: February 12, Colombo (3.30pm AEDT)

Second ODI: February 14, Colombo (3.30pm AEDT)

Sri Lanka ODI squad: Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Nishan Madushka, Nuwanidu Fernando, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Mohamed Shiraz, Eshan Malinga

Australia ODI squad: Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa