Australian chief of selectors George Bailey has revealed Steve Smith is not currently in Australia's best XI ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Smith, who played the third and final T20 against England in Canberra on Friday evening, has been in and out of Australia's side ahead of the World Cup, where the hosts will enter as defending champions after taking the crown in the United Arab Emirates last year for the first time.
With Australia rotating through their squad ahead of the tournament, but Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis recovering from injury, Smith has played in just one of the matches against each against the West Indies and England.
His last chance for runs before the tournament on Friday - when he replaced injured opener David Warner, with Glenn Maxwell promoted to the top of the order - was rained out with Smith on just 7.
He then scored 11 in the warm-up game against India in Brisbane earlier this week, but has only made double figures three times in his last six T20 innings.
Bailey confirmed that while Smith has a role in the side, that is unlikely to be in the XI for the opening game of the Super 12 stage against New Zealand in Sydney on Saturday evening.
"I think all the members of our 15 have a role to play but I don't think that will be starting in the XI for Steve," Bailey said on Tuesday.
"I think that should we need a role from him at some stage, then absolutely."
