Australia captain Pat Cummins is all but ruled out of the Champions Trophy, while fellow pacer Josh Hazlewood remains a doubt, coach Andrew McDonald confirmed on Wednesday. Cummins, who missed the Sri Lanka test tour due to the birth of his second child, has been hampered by an ankle injury that reoccurred after the team’s recent test series win over India.
“Pat Cummins hasn’t been able to resume any type of bowling so he’s heavily unlikely,” McDonald told SEN radio. “That means we need a captain. We’ve been in discussions with Steve Smith and Travis Head as we build our Champions Trophy squad.”
Hazlewood, who missed three of the five India tests and the Sri Lanka tour because of side and calf injuries, is still fighting to regain full fitness. A final decision on his participation will come once more medical updates are available. Meanwhile, all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has already been ruled out of the tournament due to a back injury.
The Champions Trophy is set to begin on February 19, co-hosted by Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
In other news, a team spokesperson announced that nineteen-year-old Sam Konstas has been released from Australia’s squad ahead of the second test in Sri Lanka. Konstas, who made a promising Test debut by scoring a swashbuckling 60 against India on Boxing Day at the MCG, has been sent back to New South Wales to gain further experience in a Sheffield Shield match against Queensland at the Gabba. The Gabba is also scheduled to host the second Ashes test against England in December.
Travis Head, who replaced Konstas in the Sri Lanka series opener in Galle—scoring 57 in Australia’s innings during a 242-run victory—expects Konstas to return to the Test squad for the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in June. “Most likely I’ll go back to the middle order and Sam will open,” Head told Australian media in Galle.
With these challenges, Australia now aims to secure a 2-0 series sweep in Sri Lanka, with the second test in Galle kicking off on Thursday.
