Australia on Thursday (February 6, 2025) dealt extra blows with captain Pat Cummins and senior pacer Josh Hazlewood being dominated out of the ICC Champions Trophy owing to accidents.
Cummins has not recovered from the ankle niggle that plagued him in direction of the tip of the current Border-Gavaskar Trophy Take a look at collection towards India, whereas Hazlewood continues to be recuperating from a calf pressure.
Hazlewood’s final aggressive outing was towards India within the drawn third Take a look at at Brisbane.
The event got here shut on the heels of all-rounder Marcus Stoinis’ shock retirement from ODIs and Mitchell Marsh’s withdrawal from the worldwide event attributable to his failure to get better from a again harm.
Earlier within the day, Stoinis, who was named within the nation’s Champions Trophy squad, abruptly introduced his retirement from the 50-over worldwide sport to “absolutely give attention to the subsequent chapter” of his profession, making a contemporary choice headache for the aspect that had been coping with accidents to key gamers.
“Sadly Pat, Josh and Mitch are managing some ongoing accidents and have not come up in time for the Champions Trophy,” nationwide choice panel chairman George Bailey stated on Thursday, February 6, 2025.
“Whereas disappointing, it does current a fantastic alternative for different gamers to carry out for Australia in a world occasion,” stated Bailey.
Within the absence of Cummins, both Steve Smith or Travis Head may lead the reigning ODI World Cup winners within the Champions Trophy, which is beginning in Pakistan from February 19.
The group is scheduled to start its Champions Trophy marketing campaign towards previous foes England on February 22 at Lahore, adopted by matches towards South Africa (February 25, Rawalpindi) and Afghanistan (February 28, Lahore).
Cummins and Hazlewood, each world-class quick bowlers in their very own proper, will want an prolonged interval of rehabilitation earlier than they obtain the inexperienced sign to return to play, placing their involvement within the Indian Premier League, which follows the mega ICC occasion, additionally unsure.
Cummins is ready to steer Sunrisers Hyderabad whereas Hazlewood was purchased by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for Rs 12.50 crore from the participant public sale.
Australia’s subsequent worldwide project after the upcoming Champions Trophy is the World Take a look at Championship (WTC) last towards South Africa at Lord’s in mid-June, and the group could be eager to subject their greatest XI within the title sport.
Printed – February 06, 2025 04:18 pm IST
