The Australian men's cricket team has been struggling in the One Day International (ODI) format for some time now. Despite being the reigning World Cup champions, their current form is not as intimidating as it once was. This decline could be linked to the growth of the game in other nations and Australia's shifting priorities, with ODIs seemingly taking a back seat. Notably, between the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, the Australian men's team have played only 44 ODIs. With the rise in popularity of shorter formats, both players and teams are leaning towards T20s, which may make transitioning back to ODIs challenging. Looking ahead to the 2027 World Cup, Australia will need its younger players to step up. The recent retirement of Steve Smith, their mainstay in the batting order, is a wake-up call and a reminder that other senior players might not be around for the next tournament. For example, Mitchell Starc will be 37 by then, raising questions about whether he and other experienced campaigners will still be part of the squad. Also Read: Sri Lanka to Host India and South Africa in April With two years still remaining until the World Cup, the Australian management is likely to provide more opportunities for emerging players to gain experience in ODIs. Reflecting on this, Australian captain Pat Cummins stressed the need for balance between experience and youth. “As we move closer to the 2027 World Cup, one-day cricket becomes a bit more of a focus. Any chance that you get to get games into the guys that haven't played, that's the best way to learn. If it means that Starcy and Joshy and I, and some experienced coaches around them, are there to help them, that's the perfect result. It's about trying to balance all those things,” Cummins told cricket.com.au. 'The best way to learn is by playing one-day cricket': Pat Cummins Pat Cummins also mentioned the importance of exposing players to high-pressure situations to aid their development. “Being exposed anywhere in high-pressure situations sets you up quite well… If you can play loads and loads of T20 games, that's going to help you,” he added. The Australian skipper believes that while playing more T20 matches can be beneficial, ODIs offer a unique learning curve. “But I do think there is a certain tempo to one-day cricket that is slightly different to T20s. I also think you do come across different conditions a bit more in ODI cricket. The best way to learn is by playing one-day cricket,” he said. The next men's ODI World Cup will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. The tournament is scheduled to take place in October and November 2027.