Australia Champions Trophy squad: Pat Cummins backed to beat injury but young gun misses out

Having battled injury through the bulk of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Pat Cummins has been backed to play the Champions Trophy, but an explosive young opener has been dropped.

Jake Fraser-McGurk has been omitted from Australia’s squad for the Champions Trophy with Pat Cummins named as captain despite being under an injury cloud.

National selectors have backed the majority of the squad that led them to World Cup glory in India 14 months ago for the 50-over event in Pakistan and the UAE beginning in the back half of February.

Travis Head and Mitch Marsh are back after missing November’s one-day series against Pakistan, with Marsh the strong favourite to captain the side should Cummins be ruled out with the ankle concern that plagued him during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

Veteran all-rounder Marcus Stoinis – axed for the World Cup semi-final in 2023 – has been backed in alongside fellow West Australian Aaron Hardie in a 15-man preliminary squad still missing the injured Cameron Green.

Josh Hazlewood has been selected despite his recent calf injury, while Hardie and Matt Short have both been selected in a senior ICC event squad for the first time.

Jake Fraser-McGurk has missed out on selection. Picture: Steve Bell/Getty Images

The selection of versatile all-rounder Short helped ensure there was no room for top order option Fraser-McGurk, who produced modest output alongside Short at the top of the order during the Pakistan series.

Fraser-McGurk, anointed by David Warner as the retired star’s heir apparent, has also failed to fire during the Big Bash League with the Melbourne Renegades, with his Indian Premier League exploits last year a distant memory.

Nathan Ellis has shaded Sean Abbott for the role of backup paceman to Cummins, Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, while Spencer Johnson, Lance Morris and Xavier Bartlett have also been bypassed. That group would be the leading contenders to replace Cummins if he is ruled out. Marsh has filled in as captain in one-day cricket over the past couple of years and led Australia at last year’s Twenty20 World Cup.

There is no room either for a second specialist spinner behind Adam Zampa, with Tanveer Sangha missing the cut. Cooper Connolly, more of a spinning all-rounder, has also been left out, leaving Short, Head and Glenn Maxwell as the major spin support for leggie Zampa.

Australia plays a one-off one-dayer in Sri Lanka before the tournament.

The Aussies last won the Champions Trophy in 2009.

“This is a balanced and experienced squad with the core having been involved in the previous one-day World Cup, the West Indies series, last year’s successful tour of the UK and the more recent Pakistan home series,” selection chair George Bailey said.

“It offers a variety of options for touring management depending on opposition and the conditions that may present in Pakistan.”

Originally published as Australia Champions Trophy squad: Pat Cummins backed to beat injury but young gun misses out