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If the national selectors were naming their top T20 side today, swashbuckling Cameron White would be one of the first picked.
The 30-year-old Victorian has been the launching pad for the two T20 wins over hapless England, and will no doubt be on duty in Sydney tonight as the Australians seek a second series whitewash of the summer.
The rebirth of the all-rounder has given the selectors a major headache of the very best kind – an embarrassment of riches.
With the T20 World Cup just around the corner, there are 12 frontline candidates for the top six batting berths.
White, David Warner, Aaron Finch, Shane Watson, Steve Smith, George Bailey, Brad Hodge, Chris Lynn, Moises Henriques, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, and Dan Christian.
The keeper would bat seven, which would be Matt Wade as it sits, but it would be a major plus if Brad Haddin was talked into being a starter for the Worlds.
And the embarrassment of riches applies to the pace attack as well with Mitchell Johnson, James Pattinson, James Faulkner, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Josh Hazlewood, Clint McKay, and Pat Cummins if his rehab is successful in time.
Add spinners Xavier Doherty and new-boy leggie on the block James Muirhead, and there’s 23 for 11 spots.
If the selectors make form their criteria for the best side possible, some accepted heavies would miss out.
Top six – Warner, Finch, White, Watson, Smith, and captain Bailey – plenty of firepower there.
Keeper – Haddin, adding more firepower.
Attack – Johnson, Pattinson, Starc, and Doherty.
Muirhead has by far the greater potential, but required a talking-to by national coach Darren Lehmann to stop him drifting off in the field.
How could a 20-year-old with just two first class games for the Vics drift off in front of 64,000 spectators at the MCG, one of the world’s great venues? It defies description.
You would think Muirhead would be bursting out of his skin to be alert every ball, even if it was 200 overs.
So he gives way to the reliable Doherty in a side that’s very capable of winning the World T20, despite being ranked sixth in the world by the ICC after Sri Lanka, India, South Africa, Pakistan, and the West Indies.