"Runs."

That's the only thing Glenn Maxwell is lacking when it comes to earning a spot in Australia's one-day side, according to coach Darren Lehmann.

It's got nothing to do with his attitude or his relationship with other players or the way he trains (as Steve Smith recently alluded to).

He simply has not performed well enough for Australia in recent times to merit a place in the XI.

Theories have abounded about why the talented 29-year-old was dropped from the side for start of the ODI series, starting against England at the MCG today, but Lehmann told Offsiders that there is no secret rift between Maxwell and Cricket Australia, or Steve Smith, or the coach himself.

Conspiracy theorists first piped up when the Victorian limited-overs specialist was dropped and replaced by the white-ball-bashing Brisbane Heat batsman Chris Lynn.

Smith didn't help matters when he told the media Maxwell needed to "train smarter" in order to get back into the side. How does one train smarter? What non-smart things was Maxwell doing in training? These questions were never answered.

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Whispers turned to a roar when Maxwell, who had been put on standby when Lynn's fitness came under scrutiny, was overlooked again when Lynn pulled out of the squad. Cameron White, the in-form Victorian batsman, was brought in to the side instead.

"We are trying to get it right and see how we go," Lehmann said.

"Selection is always tough and there are so many different views out there, but Cameron White has been fantastic over three or four summers with Victoria in the one-day arena and obviously started really well with the Big Bash, in good form, and that's what we want."

Lehmann pointed to the recent success the selectors had experienced in picking the Test side purely on form, insisting there was nothing wrong with Maxwell's attitude.

"No, not at all, it was a case of trying to pick the best team we think will win for this series and Cameron White is in career-best form," he said.

"For us to go down the form line, for example, Tim Payne and Shaun Marsh, a little bit different, a little bit left-field. Cameron is a very good player. Over the previous games, [Maxwell] hasn't been good enough."

And Lehmann was adamant Maxwell is still in the picture for Australia. He just needs to pile up some big scores in white ball cricket.

"Runs," said the coach when asked what Maxwell needed.

"He looks in good touch, but Cameron is above him at the moment, but he will get his chance and I'm sure he will be back soon.

"Our one-day form has been poor for the last 12 months, so he we need to change that around and our middle order hasn't performed and Glenn, the last 20 games he averaged 22, so for us, that's not good enough for a man of his talent.

"We want him to go back, play really well, force his way back in the side and if he does that, I'm sure he will have a long career with Australia.

"We are not crossing him out at all, we think he can play, but a man of that talent, as you saw the other night, fielding, the whole package, but he does have to perform overall."