World champions Australia will rely on experience and all-round ability as they seek a third Champions Trophy title.
Pat Cummins returns for Australia’s ICC Champions Trophy campaign in Pakistan next month after skipping their Test tour of Sri Lanka, with injured paceman Josh Hazlewood returning to the limited-overs side.
Australia’s Test and One-Day International (ODI) captain Cummins sat out the upcoming series against Sri Lanka due to the birth of his second child, but was named in the 15-man 50-over World Champions preliminary squad on Monday.
Cummins carried an ankle injury through the Border-Gavaskar Test series against India.
Hazlewood was also included in the two-time tournament winners’ line-up after calf and side strain restricted him to just two Tests against India over the summer.
As they bounced back, Jake Fraser-McGurk was the opener, paying the price for his poor recent form after opening for Australia during their last one-day series against Pakistan.
“This is a balanced and experienced squad with a core that has featured in the previous one-day World Cup, the West Indies series, last year’s successful tour of the UK and the more recent home series in Pakistan,” said chief selector George Bailey when announcing the squad.
“It offers a range of tour management options depending on the opposition and conditions that may arise in Pakistan.”
All-rounders Matt Short and Aaron Hardie as well as fast bowler Nathan Ellis are the least experienced international players in the squad with less than a dozen ODIs each.
The Champions Trophy, which Australia won in 2006 and 2009, was last played in 2017.
The Eight Nations 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 first group stage.
composition: Pat Cummins (captain), 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
