Cam's big plans for a White Christmas

As Australia's selectors mull over the batting talent for next year's World T20 in India, they could do far worse than to consider Cameron White.

White is a veteran of the domestic cricket scene at 32, a man who has captained his country in both 50- and 20-over cricket and who sits third on the list of Australia's all-time T20 international run-scorers, behind only David Warner and Shane Watson.

A man who has an average of 54 and a strike-rate of 131 since returning to Australia's T20 side almost two years ago, who won the man-of-the-match award in Australia's most recent T20 international on home soil, and who played ODI cricket just three weeks before the Aussies commenced their triumphant World Cup campaign earlier this year.

And a man who has dealt with a fair deal of upheaval since.

Chief among the changes, and one that will significantly shape White's push for a fourth World T20 tournament was his shift across Melbourne from the Stars to the Renegades at the end of the last KFC Big Bash League season.

Despite being Stars captain, White said he saw the writing on the wall during BBL|04 and he wasn't offered a new contract at the end of the tournament.

He had wanted to stay but was forced to explore other options. Not wanting to move away from Melbourne, the Renegades were more than happy to swoop in.

"I don't think I have a point to prove to anyone, really," White told cricket.com.au on Sunday when asked if the circumstances of his exit would be a motivating factor this season.

"I just want to play well anytime I play. You just want to play well and help the team and that's what I'm looking to do. 

"It's something different more than anything. You can call it a fresh start or whatever you want to call it. It's change of scenery and we'll see whether it works out or not."

Considered surplus to requirements at the Stars, White has met the same fate in Sheffield Shield cricket this year.

After scoring 179 runs in five games last summer, he missed the final four matches of the Bushrangers triumphant Shield campaign – including the final – and has been unable to force his way back into the XI this season.

In total, he's missed the Bushrangers' past nine Shield matches and has had to be satisfied playing for his Premier Cricket club Richmond, as well as Victoria's Toyota Futures League side.

His continued absence underlines the strength of Victoria's squad, and also represents a significant fall for the state's youngest-ever first-class skipper, who once upon a time was considered a Test captain in waiting.

But despite holding a resume that includes more than 15 years and 8500 runs at first class level, he hasn't been tempted to seek a career resurgence elsewhere.

Home is where the heart is for White, so his cricket has to stay in Melbourne too.

"You always want to be playing cricket, but I'm just at the stage in my life where I've travelled a fair bit throughout my career and I wanted to stay in Melbourne," he said.

"I've got a young family now as well so those are the factors you have to consider.

"It's been pretty frustrating (to not be playing Shield cricket).

"There's not much you can do about it other than perform in grade cricket and wait for an opportunity.

BBL: White at his best for the Stars

"Obviously with the one-day internationals coming up after Christmas (in New Zealand in February), you'd expect 'Wadey' (Matthew Wade) and Maxi (Glenn Maxwell) and 'Finchy' (Aaron Finch) would all come out of our Shield team so hopefully I can grab my chance.

"I think there'll be an opportunity for me after Christmas to put some performances on the board and stay in the team no matter who's available. So that's plan number one."

Plan number two is to force his way into Australia's 15-man squad for the World T20 in March and April next year, a task that won't be made easy by the likes of Warner, Watson, Maxwell, Wade and Finch, as well as Test and ODI captain Steve Smith and a host of young guns keen to impress such as NSW and Sydney Sixers Nic Maddinson.

Finch, Australia's T20 skipper, said his new BBL club-mate was "definitely in the frame" for selection with "probably still a few spots up for grabs" in the batting order.

While the endorsement of a long-time state teammate would hardly come as a surprise, it would be music to White's ears.

And even though Australia's one-day cricket is mainly pointed towards their World Cup title defence in 2019, the right-hander hasn't given up hope on his ODI career either.

First, though, he needs runs.

"In the last Twenty20 game in Australia (against South Africa last season) I was man of the match, so I would hope I'm still in consideration for selection for (the World T20), for sure," he said.

WATCH: Extended highlights, Australia v South Africa T20

"But to push my case I have to put in some good performances in this competition, which is a strong one.

"Any Australian side is a tough one to get into so (my BBL campaign) needs to be pretty substantial with a lot of runs. And sometimes it's about the way you get them as well. It's just about performance.

"(Recent) selection for the national team still gives hope. In the last 12 months or even a bit more when you go back to Chris Rogers, (it shows) if you perform and you put the runs or wickets on the board they're still going to pick you.

"Adam (Voges) was 35 when he was picked and although I've been around for a long time, I'm still only 32.

"So hopefully the selectors remember that, and the Victorian selectors as well."

White opened the batting for Australia and the Stars in recent seasons, but the presence of Finch and West Indies powerhouse Chris Gayle at the Renegades means he will play the role of middle-order finisher in BBL|05.

It's a title he's handled with aplomb numerous times before at the top level; his highest T20 international score was a 49-ball 85 scored batting at No.6 in a 2010 World T20 match against Sri Lanka, three months after he clattered an unbeaten 64 from just 26 balls at No.5 in a famous tied match against New Zealand.

More recently, he scored an unbeaten 41 at No.6 in a tense run chase against the Proteas last summer, the one man to keep his head in a late-order collapse.

"He'll go back to the role he used to play when he first started in T20 cricket," Finch said.

"He'd come out and destroy attacks late in the innings so that's what we've got planned for him. Hopefully it works."

If it does work, a fourth Twenty20 world championships would not be out of the question.

And it would be a timely reminder to both the Stars and the Bushrangers that the man known as 'Bear' still has plenty of bite left in him yet.