Australia's Pat Cummins Doubtful For Champions Trophy 2025, Steve Smith or Travis Head To Lead
A big blow for the Australian team has emerged ahead of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The Aussies will be looking forward to finding three replacements for their 15-member squad for the upcoming tournament. Skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are unlikely to participate in the tournament.
Cummins missed the tour of Sri Lanka due to the birth of his second child and has also been going through the ankle issue that occurred due to overload in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Due to injury, all-rounder Mitch Marsh has also been sidelined for the tournament, and now with the absence of both Cummins and Hazlewood, it could weaken the team in making it to the Champions Trophy title.
Australian coach Andrew McDonald addressed the latest update of the team. He stated that the latest injury issues could lead to appointing a new captain if Cummins remains unavailable. The two obvious names that are coming for the role of skipper are Steve Smith and Travis Head.
"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. 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."
Talking about Smith's performance, he said that he did a great job in the first Test and did good work in ODI cricket across the journey.
"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."
Further, Andrew said,
"But, as I said, Patty is hugely unlikely, which is a bit of a shame, and we've also got Josh Hazelwood, 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."
Australia has released the squad featuring both players, Cummins and Hazlewood, for the Champions Trophy 2025. However, changes can be made in the squad till February 12.