Young gun axed as Australia announces squad for Champions Trophy

He was trumpeted as the future and the next Glenn Maxwell but a young batting tyro has felt the pain of an international axing amid a horror run.

Batting dynamo Jake Fraser-McGurk has paid the price for a horror run in the Big Bash after being left out of Australia’s squad for the Champions Trophy one-day tournament in Pakistan next month, with Pat Cummins named as captain despite battling an ankle injury.

Having been given a run at the top of the order in last November’s ODI series against Pakistan with limited success, Fraser McGurk has battled in the BBL, reduced to four single-figure scores and a best effort of just 26 in eight innings for the Melbourne Renegades.

The 22-year-old faces a battle to regain his Australian place after Matt Short’s blistering BBL return, which included a century in his first game back from a broken toe for the Adelaide Strikers last weekend, and he looms as a long-term opening option for Australia.

Jake Fraser-McGurk has been dumped from the Australian ODI squad. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Marcus Stoinis has been recalled, after his axing from the ODI team in 2023, and all-rounder Aaron Hardie is also included in the 15-man preliminary squad, with Nathan Ellis picked to help Cummins, Mitch Starc and Josh Hazlewood with the fast bowling duties.

After his Test axing, Mitch Marsh is back on-board for national duties in a squad that offers a “variety of options” for the tournament.

“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.”

Our preliminary squad for the 2025 @ICC#ChampionsTrophy is here 🔥 pic.twitter.com/LK8T2wZwDr

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) January 13, 2025

Cummins was sent for scans after reporting soreness following the final Test against India in Sydney

The World Cup Cup winning captain opted to miss Australia’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka to stay home for the birth of his second child, and that time off could be a blessing ahead of his team’s opening CT clash on February 22 against England.

Selectors opted against picking a second spinner to help Adam Zampa, with 21-year-old rising star Cooper Connolly overlooked, leaving Short, Travis Head and Glenn Maxwell to help with slow bowling duties.

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONS TROPHY SQUAD

Pat Cummins, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short,

Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.

Originally published as Young gun axed as Australia announces squad for Champions Trophy