Australia’s Champions Trophy squad has come together like a group of adults struggling to plan a meetup. Everyone finally agrees on time, but at the last minute, someone cancels. One falls sick, another has an emergency to deal with, and before you know it, half the group has ditched the plan. The past few weeks have been very similar for Australia. Three of their regulars picked injuries (Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood), one backed out for personal reasons (Mitchell Starc), and another decided it was the best time to pull the plug on his career (Marcus Stoinis). 

Replacements have been called and given whatever game time the stand-in skipper Steve Smith could conjure. But the truth is, no matter what Australia say or think, they have plenty of thinking to do before their first game, at least. Especially because this enfeebled side has just lost a series 2-0 against Sri Lanka, a team not even part of the Champions Trophy. 

Form Overview:

The last time they played an ODI tournament in the sub-continent, Australia ended up winning the entire thing. Interestingly, the last time they won any Champions Trophy game was in 2009, when they lifted the Champions Trophy. 

Since their ODI World Cup triumph in India in 2023, Australia have played 13 ODI games, won seven, and lost six. Let’s put it this way: They come into the tournament having lost four games on the trot, two against Pakistan in their own backyard. This stat raises several questions about the team’s form, adding to Smith’s concerns. 

Squad:Strength and Concerns:

Pick any game in recent times, bilateral or multinational, Australia’s biggest strength has always been their fast-bowling trio. But who will the side rely on in the absence of the big guys? One can present a sound argument that their batting could take on that job on Pakistan’s somewhat flatter wickets. There is Travis Head at the top, whose career arc seems not to be plateauing any time soon. There are Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith too. Though the pair have been far from their prime lately, being regulars in a watered-down side makes them not only indispensable but also a big asset for the team. 

However, Australia need a definite answer to who will join Head as the other opener. Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short are two of the obvious options, but the latter has a stronger case of the two. The question, however, remains. Will Short be able to take on the new ball pressure in entirely alien conditions?

Australia started with a pretty strong all-rounders list, but with Stoinis retiring and Marsh still nursing his injury, they are only left with three in the squad. To be fair, they should be enough to fit Australia’s plan of fielding eight batters while doing no damage to the bowling options. 

Aaron Hardie and Sean Abbott have been doing a similar job on the team for some time now. Both contribute impactful late-innings runs and are good bowling options. This is one reason why they have played nearly all ODIs for Australia since the World Cup final in Ahmedabad. 

Add Spencer Johnson and Nathan Ellis to the mix, and their fast-bowling issues seem to be sorted. Ellis even boasts the experience of playing in Pakistan, having been part of the Australian side touring Pakistan for an ODI series in 2022. 

There is one quandary for Smith to solve and thats who to get on the team as the keeper: Alex Carey or Josh Inglis. Carey’s recent form suggests he should be given a go-ahead but Inglish has had more game time than him. One way around this could be playing both together, and throwing the gloves to Carey. But that will mean leaving either an all-rounder or Adam Zampa out. 

Schedule:

February 22 – vs England, Lahore
February 25 – vs South Africa, Rawalpindi
February 28 – vs Afghanistan, Lahore