Bailey not bothered by prospect of being dropped from Oz's WC squad if Clarke returns

Australian ODI team vice captain George Bailey has claimed that the prospect of his being dropped from their World Cup squad if skipper Michael Clarke returns from injury doesn't bother him.

Bailey has been appointed as the stand-in captain for the opening match of the one-day tournament, which would be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, against England on February 14 at the MCG.

If Clarke fails to pass his fitness deadline on February 21 for their clash with Bangladesh at the Gabba, Bailey would retain that position for the rest of the World Cup, the BBC reported.

However, if Clarke is fit and firing, selectors are likely to name just two middle-order batsman, the skipper and an in-form Steven Smith, and leave Bailey out altogether.

Bailey insisted that he had not thought about the scenario and added that it did not bother him. He claimed that with a squad of 15 that's absolutely the case.

Ahead of Friday's Tri-Series opener against England at the SCG, Bailey said that they have got more captains in that side at the moment than one can poke a stick at, which is a wonderful position to be in.

Bailey believes that every person who is playing, regardless of any other positions, would just be looking to perform to make the case for retaining them within the eleven pretty compelling.

Bailey has led the one-day side in 24 games, winning 12, losing 10 and drawing 2.

More often than not it's been as a replacement, but Bailey said that the regularity of his stand-in status has made it easier to deal with. He said that it has unfortunately happened quite a bit over the last 12 months.

So, Bailey added that it's something they are used to as a team, having to deal with not having a player like Clarke in the side, and he believes that Australia has responded pretty well when that has been the case.