Australia’s ICC Champions Trophy campaign has taken a jolt as their skipper Pat Cummins will seemingly miss the tournament due to injury. This news comes after all-rounder Mitchell Marsh’s unavailability who has already lost his place in the Champions Trophy squad owing to injury.
Australian coach Andrew McDonald has specified the fact that Pat Cummins may miss the marquee event due to an ankle injury which aggravated during the Border Gavaskar Trophy. In Cummins’ absence, either Travis Head or Steven Smith could lead the side.
Cummins already skipped the Sri Lanka Tour
After winning the Border Gavaskar Trophy at home against India, the Australian skipper opted to sit out from the 2-match Test series in Sri Lanka. Cummins took a break for the birth of his second child and was expected to join the squad in Sri Lanka for the 2-match ODI series, however, the ankle injury will keep him away from Sri Lanka and possibly from the ICC Champions Trophy.
Australian head coach Andrew McDonald revealed on Wednesday morning that players featuring in the ODI series against Sri Lanka will fly out on Thursday, but Cummins won’t be a part of the contingent. “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.“
Josh Hazlewood, another injury concern
He further mentioned the injury status of Josh Hazlewood who is out of action due to a hip injury since the Gabba Test against India. “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 concluded.
The absence of Cummins and Hazlewood will be a massive void to fill. We need to wait and see the final status of the two bowlers for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
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