Australia has been dealt a significant blow ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Captain Pat Cummins is expected to miss the tournament. Cummins has been struggling with an ongoing ankle injury since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India. He has not resumed bowling, raising concerns.
His prolonged recovery has cast serious doubts over his availability for the Champions Trophy. Australia will have to find a replacement captain soon. Head coach Andrew McDonald updated Cummins on his condition and confirmed that Australia’s ODI squad will depart for Sri Lanka on Thursday.
Pat Cummins Injury
However, Cummins is “heavily unlikely” to be part of the squad due to his injury struggles. This leaves Australia searching for a new leader. The Australian team management is now considering Steve Smith and Travis Head for the leadership role in Cummins’ absence from the tournament.
Read more about : Major Setback for Australia Ahead of Champions Trophy
“Pat Cummins hasn’t resumed bowling yet, so he’s heavily unlikely. That means we need a captain for the tournament,” McDonald stated. He also emphasized that discussions regarding team leadership are ongoing. Smith and Head are the primary candidates for the captaincy position.
“Steve Smith and Travis Head are in leadership talks. We are building the Champions Trophy squad while Pat recovers back home,” he added. Australia’s troubles do not stop with Cummins’ injury. Another key pacer, Josh Hazlewood, is also battling fitness concerns ahead of the tournament.
Hazlewood has been dealing with a hip injury that previously kept him out of part of the Test series against India. His availability is uncertain. Australia now faces a tough challenge in assembling a strong squad for the ICC Champions Trophy. They hope for positive updates on their players.
