Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have been included in Australia's squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy, after being ruled out of the Test series scheduled in Sri Lanka. Cummins will lead the Australian team while taking paternity leave to welcome his second child. Recent reports highlighted that the star bowler is also set to undergo scans on an ankle injury that he has been managing since the Test series against India. According to George Bailey, the chair of selectors, they are currently awaiting the scan results. However, flexibility in squad amendments over the next four weeks alleviates any urgency to finalize decisions immediately.
Hazlewood, on the other hand, has not fully recovered from a calf injury that prematurely ended his participation in the previous series. Expectations remain positive regarding his fitness for the one-day format.
The squad also features allrounders Aaron Hardie and Matthew Short. Short has recently made an impressive mark by scoring 109 runs off just 54 balls for the Adelaide Strikers. Hardie, however, is sidelined from bowling duties with the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League due to an injury. Additionally, Josh Inglis remains in recovery mode after sustaining a calf strain while fielding during the Test series.
Nathan Ellis has earned his spot as the fourth pace bowler, edging out prominent competitors such as Sean Abbott and Xavier Bartlett. Bailey expressed confidence in the team's composition, noting its balance and experience. With several players having participated in the preceding one-day World Cup, the recent West Indies series, and the successful UK tour last year, the squad is well-prepared to tackle different conditions and opposition teams.
Alex Carey is another notable player in the squad, having made a successful return to the ODI format against England last year, where he scored 74 and 77 not out in his two outings. His dual capability positions him to serve as both a specialist batter and wicketkeeping backup for Inglis.
While Australia's primary spinner will be Adam Zampa, Short and Glenn Maxwell are poised to lend their support in that area. However, younger talents such as Jake Fraser-McGurk and Cooper Connolly have not been included in the squad. Fraser-McGurk's recent performance with the Melbourne Renegades has been disappointing, yielding a top score of only 26 runs across eight innings. Connolly, despite being selected for the Test series in Sri Lanka, also finds himself omitted from the Champions Trophy lineup.
The Australian team will commence its Champions Trophy journey with a one-off ODI against Sri Lanka on February 13 before moving on to Pakistan. Discussions are continuing regarding the possibility of a warm-up match prior to the tournament. Australia's group fixtures include matches against England on February 22, South Africa on February 25, and Afghanistan on February 28.
The tournament schedule continues with the semi-finals set to occur on March 4 in Dubai and March 5 in Lahore. This follows the confirmation of a hybrid model for the event, necessitated by India’s decision against traveling to Pakistan. The final match of the Champions Trophy is scheduled for March 9, with the venue dependent on whether India successfully qualifies for that round.
The list of players selected for the Australia squad reads as follows:
Pat Cummins (captain)
Alex Carey
Nathan Ellis
Aaron Hardie
Josh Hazlewood
Travis Head
Josh Inglis
Marnus Labuschagne
Mitchell Marsh
Glenn Maxwell
Matthew Short
Steven Smith
Mitchell Starc
Marcus Stoinis
Adam Zampa
In summary, Australia enters the Champions Trophy with a mix of seasoned professionals and emerging players, equipped to deliver a competitive performance across varied conditions in the upcoming matches. The team's strategic depth, along with its experienced core, enhances its potential to progress through the tournament. The adjustments and final selections in the squad will undoubtedly remain under scrutiny as fans and analysts observe how the team adapts to the challenges ahead.