Why Smith hasn't given up on World Cup spot

Steve Smith remains hopeful of featuring at the forthcoming World Cup despite losing his spot in the T20 side, insisting his touch game will be desirable on Australia's big grounds.

A middle-order anchor in the Aussies men's team's breakthrough T20 triumph last year, Smith's star in the shortest format has dimmed as Tim David and Cameron Green were both picked ahead of him for Wednesday's three-wicket win over West Indies on Wednesday.

The pending return of Marcus Stoinis to the side, likely for Sunday's first T20I against England in Perth, will increase the squeeze for Australia's tournament opener in a little over a fortnight's time.

Australia are placing a major emphasis on having bowling options in their top six, one of the main factors in Smith's omission on Wednesday.

"Whether that's going to be the same going forward, I'm not really sure," Smith told reporters in Brisbane today.

"We've got a really good depth to our squad. Tim David's come in and done really well. Everyone's in a good place. So we'll wait and see.

"People talk about matchups for different oppositions and conditions – we've got a really good squad so we can pick it accordingly … we've got options whichever way we go about it."

Mitch Marsh has already flown to Perth, skipping Friday's second T20I against West Indies at the Gabba, which could open the door for Smith to return in a top-order role.

Maxwell, along with the entire first-choice bowling attack, will then miss the weekend's clash in the west, meaning Smith is likely to have ample opportunity to remind selectors of his short-form skills over the coming days.

Two more matches against England will follow in Canberra next week, while the Aussies also have a practice game against India in Brisbane six days out from their first World Cup clash, a rematch of last year's final against New Zealand.

Smith has been freed from the 'Mr Fix-It' tag he had previously held in the T20 side but is aware he presents a fundamentally different selection proposition than the likes of middle-order bludgeoners Stoinis, Maxwell and David.

What he does bring, he believes, is batting nous.

His ability to hit the ball to all parts of the outfield, combined with sharp running between the wickets, are traits that could trump brute power on grounds in Australia that are typically more expansive than elsewhere.

"Just having that more attacking mindset rather than, when I was playing that kind of (Mr Fix-It) role, I was probably in a more defensive frame of mind and almost trying to bat through without taking the game on as much," said Smith.

"But just having the license to go out and just play the way I want to play, and the situation that's in front of me, I think that's the way I play best.

"For me, I'm not as strong and powerful as the some of the other guys.

"But some wickets entail just good smarts and punching the ball and timing the ball really well, particularly in Australia with big grounds, running hard between the wickets, that kind of thing."

Stoinis meanwhile was bullish about his fitness after recovering from a side strain, suggesting he could have played in the Windies series but was not risked due to the long journey over from Perth.

But the 33-year-old knows his place in the side is not guaranteed, especially with emerging allrounder Green (who Stoinis described as his "little brother") nipping at his heels.

"You're always fighting for your spot no matter what in international sport and in a team like ours at the moment, it's a compliment for Australian cricket," Stoinis told reporters in Perth.

Ashton Agar rounds out Australia's fitness concerns, today admitting, "it's always hard, coming back to batting and bowling, just getting the confidence back in your body", having recently suffered a second side strain in the space of a few months.

"I'm just trying to string a few good sessions together at the moment, to get that confidence back so I can hit the ground running whenever that may be," said Agar.

Men's Dettol T20I Series v West Indies

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Daniel Sams, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

First T20: Australia won by three wickets

Friday Oct 7: The Gabba, Brisbane, 6:10pm

Buy #AUSvWI T20 tickets here