On January 12, Cricket Australia announced Pat Cummins-led squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Fast-bowling all-rounder Sean Abbott who was a part of Australia's ODI World Cup 2023-winning squad did not make the cut. Abbott is not disappointed with selectors' decision and said that his last few outings for Australia haven't gone as well as he would have hoped.
"I didn't really take selection out of the selectors' hands," Abbott told ESPNCricinfo ahead of Sydney Sixers' Big Bash League (BBL) 2024-25 clash against Adelaid Strikers on January 15. "I didn't perform and bowl as well as I would have liked in my last five games for Australia over in the UK and back home here against Pakistan.
"My goal at all times when I play is to obviously contribute and do what I need to do for the team, but on top of that, it's [to] take the decision to drop you out of the selectors' hands, and I haven't done that. So that's fair. The guys who have been picked are in form and I think we've got a great squad to go over and compete for the Champions Trophy."
Abbott believes Sri Lankan pitches would've suited him
The 32-year-old New South Wales-born pacer was part of Australia's Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 squad for last two Tests after Josh Hazlewood was ruled out due to side strain. In Hazlewood's absence, Scott Boland walked into the side. While Boland did the damage once again, Abbott hoped that he got a chance against India on bowler-friendly wickets. Furthermore, Abbott he believes he would have been lethal on Sri Lankan pitches where Australia will play a two-Test series followed by a one-off ODI.
"It would have been nice to debut out here the other day [against India] on what was a bowler-friendly wicket," Abbott said while smiling. "Sri Lanka typically is more spin-friendly than anything, but I feel like conditions might suit me perhaps more than others. But, again, we've got such depth with our bowling at the moment.
"It gets mentioned a lot, but every time Scotty comes in and bowls, no matter the conditions, he does well. And then Starcy is obviously bowling high 140s, and then reverse swing will play a role, or being able to tie up an end so the spinners can attack, whatever that looks like. Being one of only three quicks going over, I suppose I feel a little bit closer. But I certainly feel like conditions might suit the way I go about my bowling."
Abbott's ODI statistics
Since ODI World Cup 2023, Abbott has played eight ODIs and taken seven wickets. Against Pakistan at home, he took a solitary wicket from two appearances. On England tour, he remained wicketless. In February 2024, he had a good series against West Indies claiming six wickets from three outings.
Often picked in the squad as a back-up bowler, Abbott who made his ODI debut more than a decade ago has played 26 ODIs and picked 29 wickets at an average of 39.37. With the bat, he has scored 352 runs from 19 innings including two half-centuries lower down the order. He played just one match in ODI World Cup 2023 against Bangladesh where he took two wickets.