Home
ODI World Champions Australia have suffered a huge blow ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Head coach Andrew McDonald has said that captain Pat Cummins is "heavily unlikely" to play in Champions Trophy. Cummins pushed through an ankle injury to help Australia win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 and is unlikely to board the flight to Sri Lanka for the preparatory ODI series. In Cummins' absence, McDonald confirmed that either Steve Smith or Travis Head will lead Australia in the mega tournament.
"Pat Cummins hasn't been able to resume any type of bowling so he's heavily unlikely, so that would mean that we do need a captain," McDonald told SEN. "Steve Smith and Travis Head are the two that we've been having conversations with while we've been building out that Champions Trophy team along with Pat back home. They'll be the two that we look at for that leadership post.
"They're the two obvious ones. Steve has done a great job here in the [first] Test match. He's done some good work in one-day international cricket across the journey as well. So it's between those two."
McDonald is also waiting on an update on their new-ball bowler Josh Hazlewood. The veteran pacer was ruled out of the Border-Gavaskar series due to a hip issue during the Gabba Test.
"But, as I said, Patty is hugely unlikely, which is a bit of shame, and we've also got Josh Hazlewood, who is battling [to be fit] at the moment. So that medical information will land over the next couple of days and we'll be able to shore that up and let everyone know the direction," McDonald added.
More injury concerns for Australia
The deadline for changes to the Champions Trophy squad is February 11. Mitchell Marsh has already been ruled out due to a back injury. Meanwhile, Aaron Hardie and Marcus Stoinis have injury concerns as well. Stoinis sustained a hamstring issue during SA20 2025. He played in the next match for Durban Super Giants but did not bowl. Sean Abbott and Spencer Johnson may replace them in the squad. Beau Webster is another option Australian selectors may consider after his successful Test debut against India at the SCG.
Australia will play Sri Lanka in two-ODI series starting February 12. The second ODI is scheduled to be played on February 14. Their first Champions Trophy 2025 match is against Australia on February 22 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
ADVERTISEMENT
