Australia may need to appoint a new captain for the Champions Trophy, with Pat Cummins deemed “heavily unlikely” to play due to a persistent ankle injury. This issue has troubled him throughout the summer and contributed to his exclusion from the tour to Sri Lanka. During the announcement of the squad, selector George Bailey mentioned that Cummins was still working towards a return, but optimism around his fitness has waned following comments from coach Andrew McDonald, who confirmed the bowler has not been able to resume any bowling.
With Cummins’ absence, attention turns to potential leadership options. McDonald indicated that discussions have been ongoing with Steve Smith and Travis Head regarding the captaincy role. Smith has accumulated substantial experience, excelling in both Test and one-day formats, while McDonald acknowledged Head as another strong candidate. Although Mitchell Marsh was considered a contender owing to his recent T20 captaincy, he has also been ruled out of the tournament due to a back injury.
As the situation develops, updates on the health status of key players, including Josh Hazlewood, are expected shortly, with the team keen to solidify its direction for the tournament ahead.