Pat Cummins & Josh Hazlewood "Hugely Unlikely" for ICC Champions Trophy

Australia's cricket team is getting ready for a Champions Trophy. The coach, Andrew McDonald said, Pat Cummins is likely to miss the Champions Trophy. Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood also likely to miss the Champions Trophy.

McDonald said in an interview with SEN Radio, “Patty [Cummins] is hugely unlikely, which is a bit of a shame, and we’ve also got Josh Hazlewood, who is battling at the moment. Medical information will land in the next couple of days. We’ll be able to firm things up and let everyone know the direction we’re taking.”

Cummins did not travel with the team to Sri Lanka, as he attended the birth of his second child. He was also managing an ankle injury that troubled him throughout the five-Test series against India. It appears his recovery is taking longer than expected, forcing Australia to not only find a replacement fast bowler but also a stand-in captain.

Hazlewood has faced multiple injuries, including a side strain during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and a calf strain that ruled him out of the series. His current fitness status is uncertain.

“At the moment, Pat Cummins hasn’t resumed any form of bowling, so he’s highly unlikely to play,” McDonald confirmed. “That means we need to appoint a captain, and that decision will be made in the next few days.”

Who Will Captain Australia?

Australia’s leadership puzzle has become even more complicated with the absence of Mitchell Marsh, who has been ruled out of the tournament due to lower back pain and dysfunction. Marsh previously led the ODI side in Cummins’ absence, but with him out of the equation, the selectors must turn to other options. McDonald said they are considering Steve Smith and Travis Head as the top choices for captain.

“Steve Smith and Travis Head are the two options we’ve been having conversations with,” McDonald said “Steve has done a great job in the Test series in Sri Lanka, and he has experience leading the ODI side as well. It will come down to one of them.”

Before heading to Pakistan for their Champions Trophy opener against England in Lahore on February 22, Australia will play two ODIs in Sri Lanka. The team’s final squad and captaincy decision are expected in the coming days, as they look to regroup and adjust to these unexpected setbacks.

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