Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell is feeling the heat to defend his place in the side after a run of poor scores and a lack of wickets, especially in light of the Aussies' intensification of their rotation policy.

Maxwell scored eight and five in the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka and failed to take a wicket, but he managed to stay in the squad for the next three games while others were sent packing.

Rookies Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja and Ben Cutting were dropped by the ruthless selectors, while veterans Michael Clarke, Matthew Wade and David Warner were added after being rested. Also called up was Moises Henriques, who last played for Australia three years ago.

Maxwell said: "I think every game you play for Australia you feel the pressure to perform, I still remember my first game only five months ago you know that you could only get one or two chances to play for Australia.

"You've just got to take it with both hands and make the most of it."

Of his bowling, the all-rounder added: "I felt like I've been bowling OK, I just haven't really been bowling at the right time during partnerships, I've been coming in when they've been consolidating their partnership or when there wasn't a whole lot of pressure.

"The other night I came on and they were 30 runs away from winning. Any time you come and you're a spinner on a seaming wicket that's not a good time come on, especially when you've only got 170 on the board and that's the batters' fault."

Maxwell felt sympathy for his fellow youngsters, particularly Finch, who failed to transfer his domestic form to the international stage in the two matches he played. But Maxwell said he understood the dilemma the selectors faced, given the return of the veterans.

He added: "Not really sure (if Finch should have been dropped). He's played very well this domestic season, he's in great knick but I think you look at the guys that are coming back into the side and who do you leave out?" he said.

"Hughesy (Phil Hughes) got a hundred in the first game and he's been good all season and Warner, Wade and Clarke come back into the squad so it's hard to squeeze 15 players into 12."

He added of the third ODI: "We've got the three big guys back - Warner, Wade and Clarke - so good to have those guys back in the team and no excuses this team.

"The 'Gabba is a good wicket and (we'll) hopefully have good conditions up there.

"Obviously we were pretty disappointed (after Adelaide), we basically failed on all three counts - our batting, bowling and fielding was not up to standard and we know that so we're going to have to bounce back pretty quickly again."