After skipping their Sri Lanka Test tour, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, who is injured, will make a comeback for Australia’s limited-overs side.
Australia’s Test and one-day international (ODI) captain Cummins chose to skip the upcoming series against Sri Lanka because his second child was born, but he was named in the preliminary 15-man squad for the 50-over world champions on Monday.
Through the Border-Gavaskar Test series against India, Cummins was injured ankle-wise.
After suffering only two Tests against India over the summer due to calf and side issues, Hazlewood was also named in the two-time tournament winners’ lineup.
While they return, opener Jake Fraser-McGurk was dropped, paying the price for his poor recent form after opening for Australia during their most recent one-day series against Pakistan.
Chief selector George Bailey stated during the squad announcement that “this is a balanced and experienced squad with the core having participated in the previous one-day World Cup, the West Indies series, last year’s successful tour of the United Kingdom, and the more recent Pakistan home series.”
According to the statement, “It offers a variety of options for touring management, depending on the opposition and the circumstances that Pakistan may face.”
With less than a dozen ODIs left, the squad has the least experience international players, including quick bowlers Nathan Ellis and all-rounders Matt Short and Aaron Hardie.
The Champions Trophy, which Australia won in 2006 and 2009, was last played in 2017.
The eight-nation trophy, between February 19 and March 9, will be played in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
Australia have been drawn with Afghanistan, England and South Africa for the opening group stage.
Leave a Reply