So what if Bailey doesn't play!

A determined Michael Clarke puts in a throw during his side's fielding session at the MCG yesterday. Photo: AFP

George Bailey says he is comfortable with losing the captaincy and his place in the Australian team when Michael Clarke is ready to return to lead the side at the World Cup.

Bailey will take charge in Clarke's absence for Saturday's tournament glitzy curtain-raiser against England before a 90,000 full house at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Clarke was Thursday ruled out of his country's World Cup opener as he battles to fully shake off his hamstring problems but is expected to feature in Australia's second game against Bangladesh in Brisbane on February 21.

Asked if he was feeling under pressure by the Clarke situation, Bailey told reporters Friday: "No. I think it's a pretty basic equation there. So what will be will be.

"I don't think I will [hold my place], but that's fine. I think it's great that he's on track. Certainly from the initial time of his injury, I think he's done a remarkable job to get back in time.

"To even have murmurs of him playing in this game. To be available for the next game, which was always the plan, I think he's done a great job."

Bailey, who has won 15 of the 28 ODIs in which he has captained his country, said there was no split purposes within the home squad over the switching of captains.

"Hopefully, they get a good grounding in everything. I don't think our one-day leadership's changed that much over a long period of time.

"We should be reasonably settled with the way we want to play. I don't think there's too much different on whether Michael's captaining or I'm captaining.

"I certainly think that we've had a group of players playing so much cricket together that regardless if Michael or I or 'Boof' [coach Darren Lehmann] are saying something in front of the group, we still have a general idea of the direction we're going, the way we want to play and the way we want to be seen as a team.

"That doesn't change. The outcome hopefully will be the same as well."

Bailey, who was the ICC's second-ranked ODI batsman some 16 months ago and remains Australia's top-ranked batsman, said his batting stacked up well at the 50-over international level despite a recent run of low scores.

"I actually feel like I'm hitting the ball really well. I actually feel like my role has changed a bit with the team in terms of the way we play," he said.

"Certainly, I'd like more runs there's no doubt about that. Our record as a team in the games that I've played is bloody good I reckon, and I'll stand behind that and what we've achieved as a group is very, very good.

"I think if you look at my international career it stacks up pretty well against just about anyone. So I'm really comfortable about where I'm at.

"But like every single batsman that's about to take part in this tournament I want some runs."

Bailey has a highest ODI score of 156 against India in Nagpur and also hit an unbeaten 125 against the West Indies in Perth. In 56 matches he averages 41.74.