Pat Cummins in doubt for Australia's Champions Trophy campaign

Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins will undergo scans for ankle soreness, casting doubt on his participation in the Champions Trophy. Having previously missed the Sri Lanka Test series due to the impending birth of his child, Cricket Australia confirmed on Thursday that Cummins is also dealing with ankle pain.

The severity of the injury is currently unknown, and it is uncertain whether he will recover in time for Australia's first Champions Trophy match against Pakistan on February 22nd. Chief selector George Bailey stated, "We need to wait for the scan results to come back and see where things are at." He added, "There's still some work to do, and we may get more information on the injury."

Cummins' absence would be a significant blow to the Australian team, who have been focused on the Champions Trophy since lifting the 50-over World Cup in 2023. Australia has not won the tournament since 2009, while India and Pakistan have been victorious in the two subsequent editions. Mitchell Marsh, Australia's vice-captain in the one-day format, has previously served as captain in the 20-over format.

Marsh was not selected for the Sri Lanka Test squad on Thursday, but selectors have indicated he will be part of the Champions Trophy squad to be announced early next week. Additionally, Josh Hazlewood, who is returning from a calf injury, will also not travel to Sri Lanka, having been retained for the 50-over format. Australia has opted for Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, and Sean Abbott in the Test squad.

Depending on the conditions, they may only field one fast bowler in Galle, which would increase the burden on whoever is selected. Bailey commented, "Josh has worked incredibly hard, and all the news about his recovery from the calf injury has been excellent. It’s just considering the time he would miss and how we structure the squad and the load that the fast bowlers may have to carry, it may be a little tight."

The severity of the injury is currently unknown, and it is uncertain whether he will recover in time for Australia's first Champions Trophy match against Pakistan on February 22nd.