GLENN Maxwell is in the mix to return to Australia’s one-day international XI on Sunday after Aaron Finch was officially ruled out with a hamstring complaint.

But it would be a bittersweet recall for Maxwell, with fellow Bushranger Cameron White appearing the most vulnerable if the selectors elect to adjust the batting order.

Maxwell came into the squad for the Adelaide one-dayer but carried the drinks in the home team’s three-wicket win.

Travis Head’s 96 cemented the left-hander’s position in the XI after a lean opening three games, leaving White to fight it out with his long-time Victorian teammate for the final batting spot.

White has scores of 15 not out, 17 and 3 since he was called into the squad to replace Chris Lynn and Smith did not rule out Maxwell batting as high as No. 3 in the order, which would be a direct replacement for 34-year-old White and could spell the end of his international career.





Leaving White out of the team could be seen as harsh, especially as three games ago he was seen ahead of Maxwell in the pecking order.

But successive failures coupled with Maxwell’s blistering 84 off 47 balls in the BBL on Tuesday may force the selectors to adjust their thinking.

“It just depends on what we want to do and who is around and all of those types of things,” Smith told reporters before checking out the new Perth stadium’s pitch for the first time on Saturday.

“There is no reason why he can’t bat in the top three at some point.”

As for Sunday’s game, Smith hinted that the 29-year-old Victorian “might” play but offered no further insight.

“He’s been fine (since he got into camp) m” the Australian captain said.

“He’s fitted in well and he might get his chance tomorrow. We will see how we go.”

It’s been a long stretch of games for Smith and finally he admitted to feeling the pinch.

With a rest just around the corner, Smith has made just 90 runs in four innings this series, which is a shadow of his output throughout a dominant Ashes campaign in which he averaged 137 with the blade.

Smith will return home to Sydney on Monday and will not be required to front for national duty for more than two weeks, with the Aussie team booked to leave for South Africa on February 15.

It will be the first time he has spent two weeks at home since the pay dispute was at its hottest in the middle of 2017. Tours of Bangladesh, India for limited overs cricket and then a non-stop home summer have barely given him time to reflect on what he’s achieved.

But after Sunday’s ODI, Smith can inhale and relax — at least for a few days. Not that sitting and doing nothing is his style, it seems.

“I’m looking forward to it (the break) to be honest,” he said.

“It has been a long summer. The way I have batted in this one-day series has been disappointing. I just haven’t felt quite at home where I’d like to be, particularly coming off the way I was batting in Test cricket in Sydney.

“I’d like to try and end this one-day series with a score and help the boys win.”

Smith was unsure how the pitch would play, but said drop’in wickets can be a bit more difficult to score on than natural decks like the WACA. Of the Australians, only Jhye Richardson and Andrew Tye have played at the brand new venue before.

After Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins tore through England’s top order on Australia Day, Smith would also not confirm whether Mitchell Starc would re-enter the XI.