Australia enter the Steven Smith era

Last week in Belfast, the Steven Smith era quietly began. Of course, it felt like it had started late last year, when Smith led Australia to victory in their Test series against India. But he was only a stand-in skipper then, steering the team while Michael Clarke recovered from surgery and prepared for one last push at World Cup and Ashes glory. Now the team belongs to Smith, in both formats.

On Thursday, he begins his first full series in charge of Australia, a five-match one-day battle with England. Smith's men are the World Cup holders, and the No.1 ODI side in the world. But now begins a whole new World Cup cycle. In four years, Australia will defend their title in England. By then, Smith will be 30. Will he still be captain? Probably, but who knows. It is a long way off.

So for now - indeed, for the next couple of years - Australia's one-day cricket is about living in the moment, winning each series as and when it comes. New players will be introduced gradually. Shane Watson might be gone by the next World Cup. So might George Bailey. But for now, they remain part of the ODI squad, men who can help Smith in his goal to keep Australia at No.1.

There are some new faces in the group for this series against England. Aaron Finch's foot injury has provided an opportunity for Joe Burns at the top of the order. His 69 on debut against Ireland last week was a reminder of his class. Burns was unlucky to have missed out on a place in the Ashes squad after his promising Test start against India, and deserves a decent run in the national set-up.

Ashton Agar is in line for his first international matches since his debut Test series against England two years ago. For Agar, this could be a golden opportunity. Australia won the World Cup with Glenn Maxwell the lead spinner, with almost no input from Xavier Doherty. That worked in Australian conditions, but the role of frontline ODI spinner is one that is very much up for grabs.

Batting allrounder Marcus Stoinis also has a chance to debut in the 50-over format, though quite how Australia will use him remains to be seen, with Watson and Mitchell Marsh seemingly the front-runners in that role. Matthew Wade returns to replace World Cup winner Brad Haddin, though it is anyone's guess who will be Australia's gloveman by the time of the next World Cup.

Not surprisingly given their Ashes workloads, Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood have been sent home to prepare for their next Test encounters, which will provide chances for Nathan Coulter-Nile and James Pattinson. Mitchell Starc has been kept on for the ODIs, again not surprisingly, given that he is the world's No.1-ranked ODI bowler and was the Player of the Tournament in the World Cup.

All in all, this series for Australia will contain nods to the future, but mostly through injury and workload management. Clarke and Haddin are the only members of the World Cup-winning squad who are definitely finished in the format. Other veterans like Watson and Bailey will be keen to use this series to prove they have much more ODI cricket left in them.

For Smith, this series really marks the start of an era. Michael Clarke won his first one-day series as full-time captain, against Bangladesh following the 2011 World Cup. Ricky Ponting did too, against South Africa. Steve Waugh began with victory in a tri-series also featuring South Africa and New Zealand.

When the history of Smith's captaincy tenure is written - and it could be a long one, given he is only 26 - this series won't be much more than a footnote. But after the disappointment of an Ashes defeat as vice-captain, he'd like it to be a winning footnote.