Champions Trophy: Pat Cummins in danger of being ruled out due to injury

Scans will be conducted on Cummins' ankle to determine whether he will be fit enough to lead the team in the Champions Trophy, which will take place in Pakistan and the UAE next month.

Australia captain Pat Cummins' participation in the upcoming Champions Trophy is uncertain after it was revealed that he had been dealing with an ankle issue during the Test series against India. On Thursday, it was confirmed that Cummins would miss Australia's two-Test tour of Sri Lanka due to paternity leave. Additionally, scans will be conducted on his ankle in the coming days to determine whether he will be fit enough to lead the team in the Champions Trophy, which will take place in Pakistan and the UAE next month. 

 

"We’ll have to wait and see when that scan comes back and see how it’s tracking," said George Bailey, the chair of selectors. "There’s a little bit of work to do. We’ll probably get a bit more information around where that’s at." Cummins bowled 167 overs in the five-match Test series against India, the most by any Australian bowler in the series. He claimed 25 wickets at an average of 21.36, but his workload seems to have taken a toll.

 

Australia’s opening match of the Champions Trophy is scheduled for February 22 against England. However, the team will first play a one-off ODI against Sri Lanka on February 13, which will serve as a part of their preparation for the prestigious tournament. While Cummins captained Australia to the 2023 ODI World Cup victory in India, he has only played two ODI matches since, due to workload management.  Steve Smith to take on leadership role?

 

In Cummins’ absence, Australia has relied on a variety of stand-in captains. Steven Smith took over the role during the West Indies series last season, Mitchell Marsh led in England, and Smith once again captained the team during the final match of that series. Earlier this summer, Josh Inglis captained the side in the final ODI against Pakistan in Perth.

 

Meanwhile, fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is on track for a return in the Champions Trophy after a cautious approach to his recovery from a calf injury, which forced him out of the India series after Brisbane. Hazlewood's recovery is progressing well, according to Bailey, though he may face some challenges due to the amount of time missed and the demands of playing in the upcoming series.

 

Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, and Sean Abbott are the three main quick bowlers heading to Sri Lanka, with Abbott possibly making his Test debut during the tour. Abbott’s durability and robustness have earned him a spot, and Bailey praised his ability to handle heavy workloads if needed.