Australia’s ODI captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are officially out of the Champions Trophy. Both are managing injuries and have not recovered in time, selection chair George Bailey confirmed on Thursday.
Earlier today, allrounder Marcus Stoinis has announced his immediate retirement from ODI cricket, ruling himself out of the ICC Champions Trophy starting later this month.
Australia must finalize their squad by February 12. They will make at least four changes to the original 15-man squad named on January 13. Along with Cummins and Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh is also unavailable due to a back injury. Marcus Stoinis has retired from ODI cricket and removed himself from the squad.
Australia plays Sri Lanka in two ODIs, starting February 12 in Colombo. They have added Sean Abbott, Spencer Johnson, and Ben Dwarshuis as pace options. Legspinner Tanveer Sangha, spin-bowling allrounder Cooper Connolly, and batter Jake Fraser-McGurk are also in the squad.
Two of the three quicks could make the Champions Trophy squad. Fraser-McGurk may replace Marsh at No. 3. Connolly is a likely replacement for Stoinis. Aaron Hardie is now the only seam-bowling allrounder in the squad. Test allrounder Beau Webster has not been added.
Bailey acknowledged the setbacks but saw an opportunity for new players. Cricket Australia confirmed that Cummins and Hazlewood will undergo extended rehab. They are also missing the ongoing Sri Lanka Test series.
Both have IPL contracts. Cummins will lead Sunrisers Hyderabad, while Hazlewood will return to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Their IPL participation remains uncertain ahead of the World Test Championship final against South Africa in June.
Australia will choose between Steven Smith and Travis Head to captain the ODIs and Champions Trophy. Coach Andrew McDonald had already hinted that Cummins was unlikely to recover in time.
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“Steve Smith and Travis Head are the two options,” McDonald said. “Steve has done well in Tests and ODIs, so it’s between them.”
Cummins had skipped the Sri Lanka Tests for the birth of his second child but was also managing an ankle issue. Hazlewood has a hip problem after recovering from previous side and calf injuries.
Australia may struggle to field an XI for the first ODI. Several key players—Head, Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, and Mitchell Starc—are playing the ongoing Galle Test. With just one travel day between the Test and ODI, Starc is unlikely to play both.
