Australia captain Pat Cummins and fast bowler Josh Hazlewood were ruled out of the Champions Trophy because of injuries on Thursday. Also, batting allrounder Marcus Stoinis dropped out after surprisingly retiring from one-day internationals on Thursday. Allrounder Mitchell Marsh withdrew last week due to back injury. Cummins couldn’t recover from an ankle issue during the Border Gavaskar Trophy test series against India, and Hazlewood has a hip problem.
“Unfortunately Pat, Josh and Mitch are managing some ongoing injuries and haven’t come up in time for the Champions Trophy,” Australia selectors' head George Bailey said. "While disappointing, it does present a great opportunity for other players to perform for Australia in a world event.”
Cricket Australia said Cummins and Hazlewood begin an “extended period of rehabilitation.”
Steve Smith and Travis Head are the front-runners to lead Australia in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan starting this month.
Australia is in Group B with England, South Africa and Afghanistan. It begins against England in Lahore on February 22.
Australia is due to play two warmup ODIs in Sri Lanka. Fast bowlers Sean Abbott, Spencer Johnson and Ben Dwarshuis along with leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha, allrounder Cooper Connolly and opening batter Jake Fraser-McGurk have been added to the squad for the Sri Lanka ODIs.
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