At last year’s World Cup in the UAE, Marsh and Stoinis both made pivotal contributions to Australia’s unexpected lifting of the trophy, but they have struggled to stay on the park in 2022.

Marsh (ankle) has been withdrawn with injuries at some point of every overseas Australian team assignment. Stoinis (side) was unable to complete the Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe series before also missing the India trip. David Warner and Mitchell Starc, each rested, will also return to the squad.

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As far as 23-year-old Green is concerned, a clear instruction to take the attack to the opposition resulted in some head-turning moments, particularly in how he was able to take down Jasprit Bumrah, India’s, and perhaps the world’s, outstanding pace bowler.

“He’s certainly embracing the challenge of opening - we’ve asked him to show great intent at the top of the order, and I think everything we’ve seen so far shows that he is doing that,” McDonald said of Green.

“When we did our strategy before we came over here, we thought he had the skill sets to succeed there, and he’s taken on some of the best bowlers in world cricket - you could argue Jasprit’s one of the best T20 bowlers ever.

“It was opportunistic, the way he’s come into the opening position with Davey Warner not here and a couple of other players in our World Cup 15. So [it’s] fortuitous, but he’s taken his opportunity and that’s all you can do.”

What’s not in doubt is that Matthew Wade has a mortgage on the middle order and wicketkeeper’s spot, having reprised his startling 2021 Cup performances with a couple of slashing innings against India.

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