For Champions Trophy, Cummins ‘heavily unlikely’, Smith or Head to lead Australia
Australia’s captain Pat Cummins is now “heavily unlikely” to participate in the upcoming Champions Trophy due to an ongoing ankle injury, as confirmed by coach Andrew McDonald. Cummins missed the Test tour of Sri Lanka, primarily for the birth of his second child, but has been nursing this ankle issue since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he had a heavy workload.
As the ODI squad prepares to fly out to Sri Lanka on Thursday, McDonald indicated that Cummins would likely not be among them, stating, “Pat Cummins hasn’t been able to resume any type of bowling.” This situation necessitates a new captain, with Steven Smith and Travis Head being the leading candidates for the role. McDonald praised Smith’s recent performance in the Test match and his experience in ODIs.
In addition to Cummins, fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is also facing fitness challenges due to a hip issue following previous side and calf injuries. He is expected to provide an update on his condition shortly. The absence of both Cummins and Hazlewood could pave the way for Sean Abbott’s return to the ODI squad. Australia’s first match in the Champions Trophy is scheduled against England on February 22.