Pat Cummins Unlikely To Play Champions Trophy 2025; Coach McDonald Reveals Captaincy Options

Australia captain Pat Cummins is highly unlikely to play in the Champions Trophy 2025 due to an ankle issue, starting February 19.

Hyderabad: Australia coach Andrew McDonald dropped a bombshell, hinting that ODI skipper Pat Cummins is unlikely to feature in the highly anticipated ICC Men's Champions Trophy due to his ankle injury. The Australian coach also emphasised that Steve Smith, who is currently leading Australia's Test team in Sri Lanka in the absence of Cummins, and swashbuckling opener Travis Head are in contention to captain Australia in the upcoming ICC tournament.

Cummins, the second leading wicket-taker in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 after India's Jasprit Bumrah with 25 scalps, skipped the Sri Lanka tour for the birth of his second child. Meanwhile, he was also managing an ankle issue that worsened after a demanding Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Australia's ODI squad members, who were not involved in the Test series, are set to fly out for Sri Lanka on Thursday. However, McDonald indicated on Wednesday morning that Cummins is unlikely to join them.

"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," McDonald told SEN. "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.

McDonald heaped praises on Smith's leadership credentials, highlighting his experience in Test and ODI cricket. "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."

"But, as I said, Patty is hugely unlikely, which is a bit of shame, and we've also got Josh Hazlewood, 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," McDonald added.

Josh Hazlewood's availability also remains uncertain. Hazlewood is recovering from the hip issue which he sustained during the Melbourne Test against India after missing the second Test due to side and calf injuries. Hazlewood hasn't fully recovered and skipped the Sri Lanka tour as well.

Cummins and Hazlewood both are named in Australia's provisional Champions Trophy 2025 squad while all-round Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out with a back injury.

Australia are yet to name a replacement for Marsh. Coach Andrew McDonald confirmed that Beau Webster is a candidate for the ODI squad, despite being uncapped in the format, as they seek a seam-bowling allrounder.

There is another interesting fact about Australia's Champions Trophy history, they haven't won a single match in the ICC tournament since its 2009 edition triumph.