Despite injury, Pat Cummins named as captain in Australia's ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad

Pat Cummins led Australia to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 title.

Cricket Australia (CA) have announced their 15-player preliminary squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which is scheduled to take place in Pakistan and Dubai from February 19.

Australia are in Group B with Afghanistan, England, and South Africa. They will begin their campaign against England on February 22 in Lahore.

Skipper Pat Cummins has been named in the squad despite recent injury concerns. Cummins was Australia’s leading wicket-taker in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. He had earlier confirmed that he will miss the Sri Lanka test tour due to the birth of his child.

Later, it was revealed that Cummins played the BGT while managing an ankle issue. The results of his scans will determine his participation in the Champions Trophy. Teams are allowed to make changes to their provisional squads until one week from the start of the tournament.

Josh Hazlewood, who is recovering from a calf injury, has also been named in the Champions Trophy squad, though he will also miss the Sri Lanka tour.

Other notable inclusions are Matt Short and Aaron Hardie, who have received their maiden call-ups for an ICC event, while pacer Nathan Ellis has also earned a spot. They replace David Warner (retired), Cameron Green (back surgery), and Sean Abbott in the squad that won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

Short and Hardie have been rewarded for their impressive recent performances in domestic cricket and the BBL, while Ellis has been included primarily for his slower-ball variations and yorkers, which will be crucial in Pakistan and Dubai.

Australia won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2006 and 2009 but were knocked out in the group stages in the 2013 and 2017 editions.

Australia ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad:

Pat Cummins (c), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.

Australia group stage schedule:

22 February – Australia vs England, Lahore

25 February – Australia vs South Africa, Rawalpindi

28 February – Australia vs Afghanistan, Lahore

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