Australia captain Pat Cummins is unlikely to feature in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, starting on February 19. Head coach Andrew McDonald confirmed that Cummins has yet to resume bowling, making his participation doubtful.
Cummins skipped Australia’s ongoing tour of Sri Lanka to be with his wife as they expect their second child. However, besides paternity leave, he has also been recovering from an ankle injury sustained during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India. He has been undergoing rehabilitation but remains uncertain for the tournament.
“Pat Cummins hasn’t been able to resume any type of bowling, so he’s heavily unlikely. That means we do need a captain,” McDonald told SEN.
Who Will Captain Australia in the Champions Trophy?
With Cummins likely unavailable, Australia must appoint a new captain. McDonald revealed that Steve Smith and Travis Head are the frontrunners. Smith, who has previously led Australia in Tests and ODIs, is currently captaining the Test series against Sri Lanka.
“Steve Smith and Travis Head are the two that we’ve been having conversations with while building out the Champions Trophy squad. They’ll be the two we consider for leadership,” McDonald said.
He praised Smith’s leadership, highlighting his contributions in both Test and ODI cricket.
“They’re the two obvious choices. Steve has done a great job in the [first] Test match and in ODIs over the years. So it’s between those two,” he added.
Meanwhile, fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is also in a race against time to be fit for the tournament. His recovery is being closely monitored, and a final decision on his availability will be made soon.
