Australia’s preparations for the 2025 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy have taken a massive hit, with star pacers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood ruled out due to injury. Their absence adds to growing concerns for the ODI World Champions, who are already grappling with the unavailability of Mitch Marsh and the recent ODI retirement of Marcus Stoinis.
Cummins, Australia’s ODI captain, has yet to recover from the ankle injury he sustained during the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, while Hazlewood is sidelined with a hip issue, exacerbating his earlier hip and calf strains. The duo, who have combined for 281 ODI wickets, would have been crucial assets in Pakistan and the UAE, where conditions demand a mix of pace, accuracy, and reverse swing.
Cricket Australia (CA) has confirmed that both Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will be out for a significant period due to an extended period of rehabilitation and will now shift their focus to returning in time for the ICC World Test Championship Final in June.
Australia, two-time Champions Trophy winners, have been drawn into a challenging Group B, featuring England, South Africa, and Afghanistan. With their bowling unit now lacking its two senior-most pacers, selectors will have to name four replacements to complete the squad.
Australia’s Updated Champions Trophy Squad:
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Alex Carey | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Nathan Ellis | Bowler |
| Aaron Hardie | All-rounder |
| Travis Head | Batter |
| Josh Inglis | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Marnus Labuschagne | Batter |
| Glenn Maxwell | All-rounder |
| Matt Short | All-rounder |
| Steve Smith | Batter |
| Mitchell Starc | Bowler |
| Adam Zampa | Bowler |
| Four replacements are to be named |
With Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood out, Australia will now have to rely on Mitchell Starc and emerging pace options to carry the attack. The selectors are expected to finalize the replacement players in the coming days, with names like Spencer Johnson, Sean Abbott, and Lance Morris in contention.
