Selection showdown looms ahead of Cup

Opening batsman Usman Khawaja has caused a "great problem" for Australia's selectors after he posted his maiden ODI century on Friday to further push his case for a World Cup berth.

Khawaja was sublime in scoring 104 in Ranchi to lay the foundation of a match-winning total that kept Australia in the hunt of a series win at 2-1 to India with two matches to play.

The 32-year-old has played better in each match he's started in since returning to Australia's one-day side in January after a two-year exodus that culminated in his first hundred in the 50-over format at the highest level.

It now means Australia's selectors will have some tough decisions to make when it comes to picking their batting line-up for the opening match of the World Cup, which takes place on June 1 against Afghanistan in Bristol.

Australia's selectors could be tasked with squeezing incumbents Khawaja, skipper Aaron Finch, veteran Shaun Marsh, batsman-wicketkeeper Peter Handscomb and allrounders Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis into six spots with returning batsmen David Warner and Steve Smith.

Finch and Warner have formed one of Australia's most successful first-wicket partnerships and were the openers in the 2015 World Cup triumph on home soil, and the suspended batsman on Saturday returned from injury in style via a dashing hundred in Premier Cricket. 

But Khawaja's form and Warner's versatility and year-long absence from international cricket could see Australia rethink their top-order combination, which would likely have a domino effect on the rest of the batting order.

Finch says having a surplus of talented, in-form batsmen is a "great problem" to have as the World Cup approaches.

"Any time you're tossing up leaving out really good players and guys in good form it's always a great position to be in," Finch said yesterday.

"When you're trying to find guys and shuffle guys to fill spots, that's when you're struggling a bit.

"'Uzzie' (Khawaja) has been in great nick, he's a class player, so all that stuff will be talked about no doubt."

Finch and Khawaja combined for a 193-run opening stand in the third ODI with the left-hander outscoring his hard-hitting captain in the dominant partnership.

Khawaja cashed in when dropped on 17 by Shikhar Dhawan at backward point, taking down India's dangerous spinners and elite pacemen with 11 fours and a six to reach three figures in the 37th over.

Since his returning to the 50-over side, the Queenslander is averaging 51 and has reached at least 21 in all six innings, leaving Finch to praise Khawaja's "fantastic" consistency.

"He's such a classy player," the skipper said. "He scores all around the wicket, which makes it really tough to bowl to him.

"He played an exceptional knock; the way he got us off to a quick start, reined it back in and got through a few difficult periods where they bowled really from about 15th to 25th over, they bowled really well and made scoring tough.

"So he was absolutely crucial in that partnership, to really make sure we kept it going and kept motoring along."

Qantas Tour of India

First T20: Australia won by three wickets

Second T20: Australia won by seven wickets

First ODI: India won by six wickets

Second ODI: India won by eight runs

Third ODI: Australia won by 32 runs

Fourth ODI: March 10, Mohali

Fifth ODI: March 13, Delhi