New India challenge awaits Smith 12 years on

As the sole surviving member of Australia's last 50-over World Cup campaign in the subcontinent, Steve Smith perhaps encapsulates the contrasting fortunes of the respective squads heading into cricket's global showpiece.

He was talented, but raw, and like Australia in 2011, perhaps not adequately prepared for the task ahead.

Three-time reigning champions Australia entered that World Cup ranked No.1 in the format but still trying to find their way after a host of recent injuries and retirements from the 'golden generation', with Adam Gilchrist, Glenn McGrath, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hogg, Andrew Symonds and Nathan Bracken all finishing up in international cricket in the preceding four years.

Their lead spinner, Jason Krejza, had played just the solitary one-day international to point, and Smith was the second, with Australia still stuck in their wide-ranging search for another leg-spinner to try and replace Shane Warne.

Today, on the eve of Australia's 2023 opener against hosts India, Smith enters the tournament as one of the nation's greatest batters entrenched in the top order of a side clear on exactly how they want to play in the some of the most challenging conditions in the world.

The current crop's experience playing in India contrasts significantly to that of their counterparts 12 years ago.

All 15 of Australia's 2023 World Cup squad has played multiple ODIs in India for a total of 149 matches of experience. Thirteen players have also represented IPL franchises with Marnus Labuschagne and Josh Inglis the only two yet to feature in the world's most prestigious T20 league.

Frontline spinner Adam Zampa is also the format's most prolific bowler over the past four years from the nations that qualified for this year's tournament.

Prior to the 2011 event, Australia's 15 had played 120 ODIs in India between them, of which Ricky Ponting's 41 contributed more than a third of the experience. And only seven had played in the IPL – then in its relative infancy after three seasons.

"Within our playing squad, there are not too many that haven't been here for extended periods of time," Australia head coach Andrew McDonald told reporters in Chennai.

"That's an advantage but I think every nation has that. I don't think it's a point of difference but it's definitely an advantage for our boys to know exactly what they're coming up against and how it looks for them on these surfaces."

Smith's 2011 World Cup campaign was largely typical of a player just 15 games into his one-day international career.

He batted at No.7 in his three innings and sent down 27 overs for a return of just one wicket before being left out of the side for the quarter-final that Australia lost to eventual champions India.

"My role now is probably a little bit different to the last time that I was here in India for the World Cup when I was the spinner … things have changed a bit since then," Smith recalled ahead of Australia's World Cup opener on Sunday.

"I assume I'll be batting in the top four as opposed to the bottom four so that's a big difference.

"I doubt I will be bowling a great deal. I hope I won't."

By Smith's own admission, he hasn't done a lot of bowling in recent times, a cause not helped ahead of this year's tournament by a wrist injury he suffered during the second Ashes Test at Lord's.

He's played in Australia's last five matches, including the two warm-up fixtures, since skipping the tour of South Africa to recover and said his wrist was a lot better since having an injection prior to departing for India last month.

"I feel like I can use my wrists and decelerate in defence and all different things that I was struggling to do in England," Smith said.

"A few things were challenging, particularly defending and decelerating, the force that goes through that was hard and when I got in certain positions, it was a bit uncomfortable.

"But that happens sometimes, you've just got to find your way through it. It was good to have that break afterwards and try and get it right and then obviously the needle I had made a big difference.

"Hopefully it stays that way."

Come Sunday Smith will join Ricky Ponting (five), Glenn McGrath, Steve Waugh and Allan Border as just the fifth Australian to appear at four or more men's 50-over World Cups.

While David Warner has indicated 2023 will be his last ODI World Cup, Smith admits he hadn't given his future in the format a lot of thought beyond trying to help Australia qualify for the final on November 19 in Ahmedabad.

"For a lot of us, it could be our last (ODI World Cup), so we want to make every post a winner and give ourselves every chance to win," he said.

"I'll see where things are at after this and speak to people and see what their thoughts are around me carrying on playing.

"But the next six weeks is my big focus and we'll get to that after.

"We do have a lot of players that have played a lot of cricket now, a lot of us have played here in the IPL so we know the conditions, we know what we're likely to face and we've got a real good chance if we play to our potential here."

Australia's 2023 ODI World Cup fixtures

Warm-up match: No result v Netherlands

Warm-up match: Defeated Pakistan by 14 runs

October 8: v India, Chennai (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

October 12: v South Africa, Lucknow (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

October 16: v Sri Lanka, Lucknow (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

October 20: v Pakistan, Bengaluru (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

October 25: v Netherlands, Delhi (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

October 28: v New Zealand, Dharamsala, 4pm AEDT

November 4: v England, Ahmedabad (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

November 7: v Afghanistan, Mumbai (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

November 11: v Bangladesh, Pune, 4pm AEDT

November 15: First semi-final, Mumbai (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

November 16: Second semi-final, Kolkata (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

November 19: Final, Ahmedabad (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa