Aaron Finch will captain an Australian Twenty20 side against Sri Lanka missing several marquee names but one that selectors hope master blaster Chris Lynn will be fit for.
Lynn, the most valuable player in this year's Big Bash League despite missing the Brisbane Heat's final four matches, has been dealing with a neck injury, having been forced out of Australia's one-day series against Pakistan after the opening match because of the pain of a bulging disc in his neck.
His fitness was being closely monitored ahead of the T20 squad being released on Wednesday. Selectors would have the opportunity of naming him in the hope he continues to recover before the opening match on February 17 at the MCG, with the series shifting to Geelong two days later.
Finch will lead the side as skipper Steve Smith, his deputy David Warner and Matthew Wade, the stand-in captain during the ongoing one-day series in New Zealand, will be in India preparing for the opening Test in Pune, from February 23.
This has caused angst among some players, who feel the honour of representing their country has been diluted with two teams effectively playing at once. Smith, Warner and paceman Mitchell Starc would almost certainly have been the first three players selected in the T20 team, had they been available.
Finch had to step in as skipper during the warm-ups of Monday's one-day clash in Auckland when Wade's back spasms forced him out.
"It's been a rollercoaster from being captain leading up to the ICC World Twenty20 [in 2016], being injured and then Steve taking over the reins for that tournament but it's something that, any time you get the chance to captain your country in any format, you're very chuffed about," he said on Tuesday.
Finch had led Australia in six T20 internationals between 2014 and 2016.
As Australian coach Darren Lehmann and his assistants will be in India, Justin Langer will take charge of the T20 side, with former teammates Ricky Ponting (batting) and Jason Gillespie (bowling) his assistants.
"We'll be missing some big names, some of the biggest in world cricket, but you can't dwell on that and it will be a fantastic opportunity for guys who've performed well in the Big Bash League to push their case for further inclusion, and inclusion in the other formats, too," Finch said.
"There are some extraordinary players around the country that will now get an opportunity and I think that's only a good thing for Australian cricket."
Selection chairman Trevor Hohns said Finch was the "logical choice" to lead the side.
"He's done it before and he has a great deal of experience in the format as both a captain and a batsman," he said.
"When the squad is selected for this series we, as selectors, will obviously have one eye on the present and also one eye on the future, with the next ICC World Twenty20 scheduled to take place in Australia.
"The Big Bash League has given us the opportunity to see plenty of exciting talent and it means we will have plenty to consider when we chose the players to join Aaron in the squad."
Langer had hoped to persuade former Australian spearhead Mitchell Johnson, a key part of the Perth Scorchers' BBL victory, to temporarily rescind his international retirement to face Sri Lanka, but Johnson insisted earlier this week he would not return. His management was of the opinion on Tuesday that he would remain retired.
There was strong support for Michael Klinger, the veteran Scorchers' opening batsman and first-class cricketer, while Sixers captain Moises Henriques, Stars spinner Michael Beer and Tasmanians George Bailey and Ben Dunk, the latter the BBL's leading run-scorer, were also set to be in the frame.
"Twenty20 International cricket is a format we certainly need to improve in and so these three matches will be a good chance to move forward in this form of the game," Hohns said.
The Australians sit sixth on the International Cricket Council's rankings, while Sri Lanka are eighth.