Loading "The most important thing about the captain of Australia is that they are scoring runs because - or in Painey's case, particularly as he is wicketkeeping brilliantly - when the captain is on top of his game, everyone gains great confidence from that," Langer said on RSN radio. "Finchy, [I have] great admiration for him, but he also knows, as he did at the back end of the season, that runs are of great currency, of value, to us." Australia's captains have had a chequered history with the bat at the sport's showpiece tournament. Ian Chappell made 121 runs at 24.20 through five innings at the inaugural 1975 event in England.

Kim Hughes contributed only 48 runs at 24 in three innings four years later, and 170 at 34 in five innings in 1983. Allan Border's captaincy was central to the 1987 breakthrough victory but he finished with 183 runs at 22.87 in eight innings. In the ill-fated 1992 home tournament, Border had only 60 runs at 8.57 in seven innings. Mark Taylor had 193 runs at 27.57 in seven innings as Australia made the final of the 1996 tournament before successors Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting dominated through the next three tournaments, leading their side to victory. Waugh had 398 runs at 79.6 in eight innings in 1999, while Ponting had 415 at 51.87 in 10 innings in 2003 in South Africa and 539 at 67.37 in nine innings through the Caribbean four years later. Ponting was on the decline in 2011 when he had 206 runs at 34.37 in six innings, while Michael Clarke, battling a back problem, had 219 runs at 36.5 in six innings during the triumphant 2015 home tournament. Finch delivered 280 runs at 35 during eight innings in that home campaign, including a century against England in Melbourne, and has a career average of 39.33 in 109 ODIs. He has all but confirmed he will remain as an opener when Australia's campaign begins against Afghanistan on June 1 in Bristol, leaving the returning David Warner and in-form Usman Khawaja to fight for the remaining role.

Finch's role through the World Cup will be draining, for he must also help ensure as smooth a return as possible for Warner and Steve Smith, the latter usurping Peter Handscomb for a spot in the 15-man squad because he was "one of the all-time greats of Australian cricket," according to Langer. Smith and Warner can expect to be targeted by the British media and local fans. Finch will continue to hone his technique at Cricket Victoria's Junction Oval headquarters before the squad gathers for a pre-tour camp in Brisbane, beginning May 2. "Making sure my technique is staying where I left it in Dubai, just to be really sharp, and mentally fresh more than anything," he said. Now with a solidified squad, having used 24 players last year, and enthused by series wins over India and Pakistan, Finch said the Australian game plan - built on a mixture of power and composed hitting - was tournament-ready.