Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have been officially ruled out of the Champions Trophy due to ongoing injuries. The two fast bowlers, along with Mitchell Marsh, have not recovered in time for the tournament. Selection chair George Bailey confirmed this news on Thursday, adding that the trio is managing injuries. Marsh has been struggling with a back issue and was ruled out of the Champions Trophy earlier on January 31. In addition, Marcus Stoinis announced his retirement from ODI cricket, ruling him out of contention.
Australia has until February 12 to finalize their Champions Trophy squad and will need to make several changes. The team is already without Cummins, Hazlewood, and Marsh. Australia named Sean Abbott, Spencer Johnson, and Ben Dwarshuis for the two upcoming ODIs against Sri Lanka. One or more of them could join the Champions Trophy squad. Other potential inclusions include leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha, spin-bowling allrounder Cooper Connolly, and batter Jake Fraser-McGurk, who are all part of the Sri Lanka series.
Cummins and Hazlewood will undergo an extended rehabilitation period and are also missing the ongoing Test series in Sri Lanka. However, there is hope they will recover in time for the World Test Championship final against South Africa in June. Bailey noted that while this news is disappointing, it provides an opportunity for other players to step up. Australia is likely to choose between Steven Smith and Travis Head for leadership in the Sri Lanka ODIs and Champions Trophy.
With the missing players, Australia faces challenges in finalizing their squad for the upcoming series, with the tight schedule between the Test and ODI series.
