Australian captain Steve Smith says West Indian and South African batsmen should be scared of pace spearhead Mitchell Starc's impending return.
Left-armer Starc has not played since suffering a stress fracture in his foot last November but Smith said he's back at his imposing best ahead of next month's one-day tri-series in the Caribbean.
"It's nice to have Mitchell Starc back bowling the way he is," Smith said on Monday.
"He's looking fresh and bowling at good pace.
"Hopefully some of the South African and West Indies batsmen are a little bit scared at the moment.
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"It's exciting to have him back and hopefully he can have some success straight away, or pick up where he left off."
Starc has been training at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane along with the handful of other Australian ODI squad members who aren't currently playing in the Indian Premier League.
Five Australians came home from the IPL early due to injury, among them Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell, who Smith said should be fit for the tri-series opener against the West Indies in Guyana on June 5.
Both players suffered side strains, with Maxwell's coming only last week, but both trained well on Monday and are in little doubt.
"I think they're both going to be right to go," Smith said.
"Maxy's had a chance to recover and I think he'll be fine for the first game.
"We'll wait until we get over there and the medical staff can assess him then but I think he's tracking really well.
"Mitch Marsh has been getting through his loads up here this week, he's been bowling well and batting well."
Smith said he had also fully recovered from the wrist injury that cut short his IPL season earlier this month.
"It's coming along good, it was nice to rest it for a couple of weeks and not pick up a bat or catch any balls. It's done it the world of good," he said.
