ICC Champions Trophy 2017: 5 Australian players to watch out for

Australian vice-captain David Warner is coming off another prolific Indian Premier League season for Sunrisers Hyderabad, scoring over 600 runs while becoming the first overseas player to score 4,000 runs in the league. The left-handed opener has scored the most runs in ODI since the start of last year, including a remarkable nine centuries, but has never reached three figures in England – in any format. Australian fans will hope that changes during the Champions Trophy, which Australia last won in 2009. (Getty Image)

The presence of five genuine fast-bowling options in their squad has marked Australia out as potentially the team to beat, and headlining their attack is Mitchell Starc who skipped the IPL to prepare himself for a busy summer. The left-arm quick will make his return to competitive cricket during the Champions Trophy, having been ruled out midway though the Border-Gavaskar Test series in March. Starc, 27, was Player of the Tournament in the last ODI tournament he played in, which was the 2015 World Cup. (AFP Photo)

Glenn Maxwell enters the Champions Trophy after some punchy innings for Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2017, which was preceded by a breakthrough Test tour of India. The Victorian allrounder regained his ODI spot in January and scored two fifties in six innings. He will hope to break into the XI in England, where he has scored 227 runs in six ODI innings – with a highest score of 85 – and taken six wickets. (Getty Image)

Australia have four allrounders in their squad, each capable of batting in the top six, which could mean that they play four fast bowlers into the same side for the first time at international level. Deciding which all-round combination to go for is going to be tricky, but John Hastings could find his name at the top of the list given his strong recent form and experience playing in England. The 31-year-old has played plenty of cricket with county side Durham, and his nippy seam-up deliveries could prove a handful for opposing teams. (AP Image)

Who will open with Warner is one of the big questions facing Australia at the tournament. Travis Head has an ODI century to his name this year and big-hitting Chris Lynn has pushed his case with a strong Big Bash League followed by some blazing scores for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. However, it looks like Aaron Finch is the frontrunner owing to his experience alongside Warner as well as in English conditions. Finch returned to Australia’s ODI squad in late January and scored 56 in his last match. (Getty Image)