5 Australian players to watch out for in the 2015 World Cup

After a relatively early exit (by their lofty standards) in the 2011 World Cup, the Aussies will be looking to bounce back and regain their crown when the 2015 edition kicks off, a short while from now. While they may not possess the same kind of ammunition which triggered an inspired run on either side of the changing millennium, and have been plagued by a few mediocre performances in recent years, the Australians have regrouped into a strong One Day International (ODI) unit, and in home conditions, will start off as one of the tournament favourites.Here’s looking at 5 key Australian players to watch out for in the 2015 World Cup: 

#1 David Warner

In order to ensure a fair spread in selection, the toss up for a spot here was between David Warner and Aaron Finch, both of whom have been in outstanding form in recent times. If selection is made purely on the basis of numbers, Finch outscored Warner by a fair distance in 2014, but as history has proven, World Cup performances and data crunching do not necessarily go hand in hand.

The diminutive left-hander was in searing form in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar series, and appears to have carried his form into the shorter format as well, scoring a swashbuckling century in the opening game of the ongoing tri-series.

A key differentiator is the renewed emotional content Warner brings to the table in the aftermath of Phillip Hughes’s death. The epoch tragedy has engulfed all, but the southpaw appears to have channelized the hurt into an insatiable urge for runs. With Hughes’s shadow undoubtedly looming large over the 2015 edition, Warner would definitely want to stamp his authority over the tournament in memory of his departed mate, something which may not augur too well for his opponents.