The retirements of  Michael Clarke and Chris Rogers from the top-order has meant there will be a greater focus on new skipper Smith and his deputy Warner to guide the side in home campaigns against New Zealand and the West Indies this summer.

There could even be more pressure on Smith come the opening Test against the Black Caps if Warner's fractured thumb fails to heal in time.

Warner's absence would mean the hosts would have two new openers, with West Australian pair Cameron Bancroft and Shaun Marsh, Queenslander Joe Burns and even Usman Khawaja a possibility to face a Black Caps attack intent on causing trouble with the swinging new ball.

Australian coach and selector Darren Lehmann said expectations of the world's No.2 ranked Test side remained high despite a handful of recent retirements, and Smith and Warner were the key to meeting these hopes.

"I think our expectations are always high when we play. Whoever comes in, we expect them to play well, and play well for Australia and perform at the level they need to succeed," Lehmann said on Tuesday.

"There is a transition with the retirements, of course, but for us it's playing the way we need to play - a couple of senior guys now like Warner and Smith will have to stand up and do the extras, make more runs - they have made a lot obviously - but help the younger guys develop their games and play at the level they need to succeed at this level."

Warner thinks he should be fit by the time the selectors meet on October 29-30 to confirm the squad, but Lehmann said he would need to play in the sole Sheffield Shield clash before that selection meeting, beginning October 28, to be in contention.

"I am pretty sure he would have to play, yeah. If he is not going to play that, he is probably not going to be fit enough. Again, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. But all signs are that he is going to play," Lehmann said.

Smith, set to bat at No.4, is the world's No.1 ranked batsman but had a mixed Ashes campaign despite averaging 56.44.

Warner averaged a healthy 46.44 in England but failed to make a century.

The dynamic left-hander said the sixth-ranked Black Caps, seeking their first series win in Australia since 1985-86, would be tough to face in the three-Test series.

"They have players there that now have got the experience. You look at their bowling line-up, especially with [Tim] Southee, [Trent] Boult, they are experienced - not that they lacked experience last time, they were very, very good - but this time they know their game so well and how to get certain players out," Warner said.

"They are definitely going to come up with a game plan. We saw during the World Cup, I know it was with the white ball, but they had plans for each individual. That came off for them there in New Zealand. There's not going to be anything different with the ball - because they can swing it early."

Warner had X-rays on the thumb last Friday, which showed the break had yet to heal. He hopes to have his first hit on Monday since sustaining the injury during the second one-dayer against England last month. He will also need to prove he can catch comfortably.

"It's going well, actually. At this stage my goal is to try and play the first shield game, the day-night shield game, and I think I'll have a follow-up X-ray this Friday. Then hoping all goes well, I'll have a hit on Monday," Warner, wearing a protective guard, said.

He won't bat during Australia's ongoing two-day training camp in Sydney - Tuesday's session was washed out - and is unlikely to play in any of the Blues' matches during the one-day domestic series.

"My goal is to obviously play that shield game . . .  to have a hit because I don't think I'll be able to get out here and play any of the last couple games of the Matador [one-day domestic series]," he said.

Should he not be fit for the shield clash, Australia's new vice-captain said not having a first-class match before the Test would not be a major hindrance - provided his thumb had healed.

"Eight years on the road, playing a lot of cricket, you don't lose that [ability] overnight. This four-to-six-week break has probably mentally freshened me up," he said.

"I think it is going to put me in good stead for the summer. You are only one or two hits away in the nets, an hour off from getting back to what you can be."