However, there is now a significant body of evidence, tabulated in varying ways by numerous analysts – some of whom have discussed this with Australia’s planners – that a different and somewhat bolder approach can have significant benefits, particularly when chasing a target over 20 overs.

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Rather than attacking early with the top three or four batters and then slowing down as fielders go out after the Powerplay, it is actually a better management of risk and reward to continue in an aggressive vein from overs 7-10 to continue decreasing the required run rate. This thesis holds true even in the event of the loss of a few wickets, leaving a team with say six wickets in hand for the final 10 overs rather than eight.

Australia’s best middle-order players, adept at maintaining or increasing a run rate with more fielders back, include an obvious candidate in Glenn Maxwell, but also Josh Inglis, Smith and one player not in the squad – Jon Wells of the Adelaide Strikers. By contrast, the likes of Wade and Ashton Agar have struggled in this regard.

A power finisher

When they faced the West Indies in the Caribbean earlier this year, Australia had only one player who looked capable of powering his way to and over the boundary in a manner even remotely reminiscent of their opponents: Mitchell Marsh.

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However, after a decision made at the start of the tour, Marsh was doing it at No. 3, rather than in the sorts of positions commonly occupied by the likes of Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell – both world leaders in terms of late-innings power.

While Dan Christian was tried at No. 7 during the series, and is in the UAE as a reserve, Australia’s best chance to provide power hitting with a decent chance of success may actually come in the form of the vice-captain and fast bowler Pat Cummins.

Though he has seldom troubled bowlers in recent Test cricket, Cummins has been moulded by his time in the IPL into one of the best late-order hitters in the competition, and certainly one of the more reliable. Not only can Cummins hit a long ball, but he can find angles to where fielders are not posted.

As an indicator that Cummins should be batting higher – certainly above the likes of Agar and Wade if they are selected – take a look at the list of all-time IPL strike rates. The top three Australians are: Maxwell (ranked 7th, 151.84), Chris Lynn (25th, 140.63) and Cummins (26th, 140.44). Coming in late against an older ball, Cummins also averages almost 20 while doing so, placing him well ahead of equivalent numbers for both Wade and Agar.

Spin to win?

One area that has remained remarkably consistent – even during the 2010 campaign – is Australia’s preference for pace over spin among their bowling options.

It has felt at times as though the predictions of doom for spin bowlers commonly made at the dawn of the T20 age still resonate when Australia pick a team. This has been most notable through the fear that Nathan Lyon may somehow be “ruined” by playing white-ball games, even though it was in the Big Bash that he first gained the attention of selectors.

What the numbers actually say about spin bowling in Australia’s T20 set-up is that as far as economy is concerned, specialist spin bowlers – think Lyon, Cameron Boyce, Agar, Adam Zampa or Mitchell Swepson – are generally more abstemious than their pace counterparts, and never worse than about par.

While there has been a marked increase in the amount of specialist spin used by Australia in recent times, particularly given the consistent selection of Zampa and Agar together, it is fair to suggest that at this World Cup, still more would be advantageous. Should Cummins be batting at No. 7, allowing for five specialist bowlers, that scenario becomes more realistic.

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