Australia Faces Major Injuries Ahead of Champions Trophy 2025

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Australia’s preparation for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 has taken a severe hit with the announcement that fast bowler Mitchell Starc will miss the tournament due to personal reasons.

The announcement came Wednesday, just as Australia finalized its 15-player squad, highlighting a string of injuries that have plagued the team. Captain Pat Cummins (ankle), pacer Josh Hazlewood (hip), and all-rounder Mitch Marsh (back) are also sidelined, leaving the selectors scrambling for replacements.

In the absence of Starc, five new players have been added to the squad: Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Spencer Johnson, and Tanveer Sangha. Veteran batter Steve Smith will take over the captaincy for the event, following Cummins’s decision to step back due to his injury.

George Bailey, the chair of selectors, commended Starc’s dedication to the team: “We understand and respect Mitch’s decision. His well-documented ability to play through pain and adversity, as well as forgoing opportunities in other parts of his career to put his country first, should be applauded.”

Starc’s absence leaves Australia without three key quicks who played pivotal roles in their recent ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup victory over India. Alongside him, Cummins and Hazlewood will not participate, along with the injured Marsh and retired Stoinis.

As they pivot towards the Champions Trophy, the team will rely on emerging talents like Abbott, Nathan Ellis, and Dwarshuis. Bailey expressed optimism for the squad as they prepare to face England, Afghanistan, and South Africa in Group B.

<p“The squad has changed significantly over the past month… A strong core of some of our most experienced players will provide a strong foundation in our attempt to win this edition of the Champions Trophy,” Bailey said.

Australia will continue their preparations with two One Day Internationals against Sri Lanka this week, before taking on England in their tournament opener on February 22. The match is being anticipated as a crucial start for a reshaped Australian squad.

In a related development, Marcus Stoinis announced his retirement from One Day International cricket. At 35, he plans to focus on T20 leagues and franchises. Stoinis had recently been named in the preliminary squad for the Champions Trophy but chose to end his ODI career to pursue opportunities elsewhere.

Stoinis’s exit adds pressure to the Australian lineup, now down to a skeleton crew of seasoned players. He retired with 74 ODIs, a batting average of 26.69 and a top score of 146 against New Zealand in 2017.

The challenges facing Australia deepen with Cummins and Hazlewood both requiring extensive rehabilitation before they can return to competitive play. Notably, both bowlers played instrumental roles in securing Australia’s title at the recent World Cup.

“While disappointing, it does present a great opportunity for other players to perform for Australia in a world event,” Bailey added, reflecting on the silver lining of squad changes. The Champions Trophy 2025 marks a significant challenge for Australia as they adjust to the unexpected absence of pivotal players.

The conditions in Pakistan, coupled with the absence of established stars, will pose a test for the Australian cricket team in their pursuit of yet another ICC title.