- Cricket Australia has announced the final 15-member team for the Champions Trophy 2025. The surprising thing is that 5 veteran players have been dropped while this player has been made the new captain…
Champions Trophy 2025: The problems of Australia, which is considered a strong contender for the Champions Trophy 2025, are not decreasing. The Kangaroo team suffered five major setbacks before the Champions Trophy held in Pakistan. The situation is such that chief selector George Billy is also struggling to make a 15-member team. Cricket Australia has selected a new squad of 15 players for the Champions Trophy (Champions Trophy 2025), in which 5 players including Mitchell Starc and captain Pat Cummins have been dropped, in such a situation, along with the new captain, the replacement of the player has also been announced.
Stark gave a big blow
Australia’s main left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc was bowling in tremendous form, but he surprised everyone by suddenly withdrawing his name before the tournament. Starc has decided not to play in the Champions Trophy 2025 due to personal reasons, after which his pace attack seems to be in shambles because, before Starc, Josh Hazlewood has also been ruled out of this tournament.
So captain Pat Cummins will also not be able to represent Australia due to an ankle injury. Spencer Johnson, who is a left-arm fast bowler like him, has been given a chance as Starc’s replacement. However, this fast bowler has played only 2 ODIs and 8 T20Is for Australia so far.
These 5 players including Cummins-Hazlewood are out
Australia’s regular captain Pat Cummins is already completely out of the tournament due to an ankle injury. Cummins did not tour Sri Lanka due to an ankle injury. At the same time, his teammate Josh Hazlewood will also not be a part of the Champions Trophy 2025 this time due to an ankle injury. He was injured in the third Test against India, due to which he could not play the other two Tests.
Star all-rounder Marcus Stoinis has surprised everyone by suddenly retiring just before the tournament. Australia’s T20I captain Mitchell Marsh will not be able to play in the tournament in Pakistan due to back pain. Mitchell Starc has also surprised everyone by suddenly withdrawing from the tournament. Apart from these, fast bowling all-rounder Cameron Green is also struggling with injury problems, due to which he has also had to be out.
Steve becomes captain again
Right-handed star batsman Steve Smith has been made the captain of the Australian team for the Champions Trophy 2025. Smith was first appointed captain of Australia’s ODI team in 2015 but was removed from captaincy after the sandpaper scandal surfaced in 2018. But now once again he has been made the captain of Australia as he has good experience of captaining the team before. Smith has captained Australia in 60 ODIs, out of which he has won 31 and lost 25. The team’s win percentage under the captaincy of this legend is 51.66.
Australia’s 15-man squad for Champions Trophy 2025
Steve Smith (captain), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Ben Dwarshis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnush Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Short and Adam Zampa.
Players out:- Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Marcus Stoinis(retirement), Mitchell Marsh.
Players included:- Spencer Johnson, Tanveer Sangha, Sean Abbott, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Ben Dwarshis,
Travelling Reserve:- Cooper Connolly.