Joe Root scripts history against Australia, becomes only third England player to enter elite 200 list

He joined Eoin Morgan, who played 225 ODIs, and Jos Buttler, who has 204 appearances, in the list of England players to reach the landmark.

Australia captain Mitch Marsh won the toss and elected to bowl in the series opener, which comes amid renewed attention on the 2018 Sandpapergate scandal. Less than four hours before the toss, Australia Test captain Pat Cummins addressed a news conference in Sydney, dismissing claims made in Usman Khawaja’s autobiography, released this week, as “complete and utter nonsense.”

Marsh said the opening ODI of the three-match series would be an important start to a busy 12 months for Australia, which includes a home Test series against New Zealand, tours of India and England, and next year's World Cup in South Africa.

“It’s the start of the summer for us (and) that first game is always important,” he said.

Australia will be without several of their first-choice fast bowlers for the white-ball series, with Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland missing from the squad. Xavier Bartlett, left-arm pacer Spencer Johnson and 21-year-old Mahli Beardman are part of the bowling attack instead.

Beardman, who hails from Western Australia, is making his international debut. Marsh said the young fast bowler would have a special occasion playing his first international match at home.

“It’s going to be exciting for him. No better place in the world for a young West Australian to debut,” Marsh said. “We've got a reasonably young and inexperienced side, but lots of energy.”

Australia are playing their first ODI since September, when they lost a three-match series 2-1 against South Africa.