Peter Handscomb put the disappointment of his Test axing to one side to produce a match-winning knock for the Melbourne Stars over the Sydney Sixers on Thursday night.

The batting textbook was thrown out the window as Handscomb swung from the hip in his rapid 35-ball 70, which combined a mixture of conventional and unorthodox shots to lead the Stars to a much-needed five-wicket win at the SCG.

Handscomb said he held no grudges in being overlooked for the third Domain Test for allrounder Mitch Marsh, who had to bowl a career-high 26 overs for Australia on a docile MCG pitch as India batted almost two days.

The 27-year-old said he was "frustrated and disappointed" but understood why he lost his place in the side.

"Team balance was a big thing for the squad and we've seen we really needed Mitch Marsh to bowl those overs," Handscomb said.

"So it was an important change and that's perfectly fine.

"I've gone about trying to tinker with a couple of things, working with 'JL' (national coach Justin Langer), working with 'Hickey' (batting coach Graeme Hick), having some good conversations about what we think needs to be done to score runs.

"It was nice to come out here and score runs, but it is T20 cricket and I had a bit of luck as well."

Handscomb's batting technique has been picked apart by pundits and the public following a lean run in Australia's Test outfit this summer.

He was dismissed playing off the back foot in each innings against India, which prompted Test legend Shane Warne to liken picking Handscomb to leading a "lamb to slaughter".

The right-hander is used to the noise around his unique playing style and says he's been tinkering both "a bit mentally and a little bit technically".

"It's the same old conversation that has been happening with my technique for however many years now," he said.

"I'm sort of sick of talking about it, but it's just good to show I can still make runs."

Free of the Test scrutiny, Handscomb was in a different place on Thursday night.

There were no Test whites, only a white ball.

There was no Baggy Green, only a green uniform.

And there were not five days to combat, only 40 overs of rapid-fire cricket.

His first scoring shot was a swipe over deep square leg for six, he reached his half-century from 22 balls and he used his feet to the Sixers spinners and the outside edge of his bat as fortune favoured the brave.

Handscomb had a life on 56 when he was dropped by Moises Henriques having creamed Sean Abbott to mid-on.

But chasing just 131 to win, the right-hander's 70 ticked off more than half the runs and won his side the match.

He returns to Melbourne today to rejoin the Test team but hopes to be back in the harbour city as part of the XI for the New Years' clash at the SCG.

Langer said on Christmas Eve Handscomb's advanced skills against spin bowling will put the Victorian in line for a Test recall.

But he isn't holding his breath. Instead, he'll continue to work at his game so he's ready the next time he's given the selection nod.

"It's going to be a tough call on their (the selectors) behalf," he said.

"Mitch Marsh is probably going to have to play if it (the SCG pitch) is flat and spinning, we're going to need another bowler.

"And the other batters are batting really well.

"To come back in the side off the back of one T20 hit is a tough call, but I'll put my hand up and work my arse off in the nets and hopefully something comes of it."