Australia’s Champions Trophy report card: Who will be picked for the 2027 ODI World Cup?
A competitive Champions Trophy exit was a reasonable return for an undermanned team. But there are plenty of questions to be asked ahead of the 2027 World Cup, writes Ben Horne.
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Australia’s faith in Cooper Connolly’s potential over performance is under the microscope following a selection fail which also casts doubt over the international future of Jake Fraser-McGurk.
After losing six stars on the eve of the tournament, a competitive semi-final loss to India was a dignified exit for a hugely inexperienced Australian side at the Champions Trophy, but there are plenty of questions to be asked about how the men in gold will recalibrate for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Connolly has clearly been earmarked as a future all-format star for Australia and although he bowled well against India, claiming the key wicket of Rohit Sharma, his nine ball duck opening the batting showed his game is not yet ready for international cricket.
Eyebrows have been raised about Connolly being handed a Test debut in Sri Lanka and a semi-final berth in the Champions Trophy with such skinny numbers behind him in domestic first-class and one-day cricket.
The fact Connolly was thrust from outside the original 15-man squad to leapfrog Fraser-McGurk and Aaron Hardie to play against India in the semi was clearly due to his ability to offer a left-arm spin option on a turning wicket, but it doesn’t say much about Australia’s faith in Fraser-McGurk in particular.
What his omission seems to say is that unless the pitch is as flat as a highway, selectors simply don’t trust Fraser-McGurk against the kind of quality pace bowling Indian master Mohammed Shami was dishing out in the semi-final.
After Steve Smith’s retirement from ODI cricket on Wednesday, Glenn Maxwell, 36, heads the list of fellow ODI greats in the Australian set-up also entering a twilight zone of uncertainty given the World Cup is still two years away.
Here is a mid-term report card on Australia’s Champions Trophy stars, two years out from a 50-over World Cup in South Africa.
TRAVIS HEAD
Undoubtedly Australia’s most important batsman and will be when the 2027 World Cup comes around. Was on the verge of playing another one of his knockout innings against India in the semi-final. Superstar.
COOPER CONNOLLY
Everyone can see Connolly’s potential from some of his feats in the Big Bash, but these are yet to translate in first-class and one-day cricket and therefore his selection was a massive gamble. Seasoned domestic openers like Matt Renshaw, Daniel Hughes and Usman Khawaja would have been entitled to scratch their heads at how a lower order batsman with just 117 one-day runs at 14.62 can be thrust into open in a Champions Trophy semi-final. But Connolly is only young. Let’s let him find his feet in domestic cricket and he could well bounce back as a World Cup weapon in 24 months.
MATT SHORT
Was a huge loss for Australia with a quad injury for the semi-final. With Short’s relative experience and form, he could have potentially swung the semi-final in his team’s favour. Short should be an important part of the World Cup campaign in 2027, whether in his current spot at the top of the order, or down lower as a finisher.
STEVE SMITH
At age 35, Smith has looked as sharp as ever in Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy. Smith’s captaincy in sub-continental conditions is sublime and his decision to rescind an appeal against Afghanistan for a Bairstow-like run-out showed his maturity. Smith’s batting is still world class and his retirement from the one-day format before the 2027 World Cup, raises the very real danger Australia’s chances could fall off a cliff. The void he will leave doesn’t bear thinking about.
MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE
Just like with his Test career at the moment, Labuschagne is making contributions in one-day cricket without delivering the match-winning innings Australia crave from their No.4. With Smith’s retirement, Australia will need Labuschagne to step up in a big way for the next World Cup and be that anchorman. Labuschagne’s dropped catch early in India’s semi-final run-chase was costly and out of character for one of the game’s best fielders.
JOSH INGLIS
Absolutely scintillating hundred against England and Inglis shapes as a crucial figure at the next World Cup. Outstanding temperament, range of shots and leadership.
ALEX CAREY
Arguably the big success story of this Champions Trophy for Australia is the return of Alex Carey. Having Carey and Inglis in the same one-day line-up is a good thing for Australia’s chances at the next World Cup. It’s just a matter of deciding who is best placed to wear the gloves. At his best, Carey is an outstanding middle-order batsman and his unselfishness as a player stands out.
GLENN MAXWELL
Played his role superbly in the brilliant run-chase against England, and then failed to come off in the semi against India, going six and out against Axar Patel. Maxwell is still one of the first men chosen in Australia’s T20 line-up, but his 50-over future is an interesting one. Since his out of this world double hundred against Afghanistan at the last World Cup, Maxwell hasn’t exactly set the world on fire in this format. But without an obvious challenger knocking down the door, Maxwell’s future probably rests in Maxwell’s hands. It could be largely up to him whether he wants to continue through to South Africa 2027. When it comes to the crunch in a World Cup, the reality is few possess the skills to do what Maxwell is capable of.
BEN DWARSHUIS
For a man with just two ODIs to his name leading into this tournament, Dwarshuis stood up and did his job well. Skillful and possessing plenty of tricks with the ball, it was a big nod to Dwarshuis that he kept his place for the semi-final against India when Spencer Johnson was dropped. Australia will hope he can build on these performances and challenge for that 2027 World Cup.
SPENCER JOHNSON
Will be questioning his future in the ODI format after being axed for the semi-final. Johnson went wicketless against England and took two against Afghanistan before selectors decided they’d rather keep Dwarshuis in the XI when accommodating second spinner Tanveer Sangha. Should remain a key consideration for Australia ahead of a World Cup in South Africa which could better suit his swing skillset. Johnson’s prospects largely hinge on Mitchell Starc’s participation in one-day colours.
NATHAN ELLIS
Australia should be building its attack around Ellis for the next World Cup. Regardless of whether the big three are all back for the big one in two years’ time, Ellis should be the rock picked in every squad. Excellent at the death and a natural-born leader.
ADAM ZAMPA
By his own admission, wasn’t at his best during the Champions Trophy, but still contributed solidly as he always does. Zampa will be a vital part of the World Cup defence.
TANVEER SANGHA
Promising young spinner who didn’t look out of place in the Champions Trophy semi-final. Possibly lacks that killer delivery, but he is a spinner well worth developing and he will learn plenty from sharing dressing rooms with Adam Zampa.
JAKE FRASER-MCGURK
May have been slightly surprised to be called up to the squad after his poor run of form over the past 10 months, but after being picked as a squad replacement for Mitchell Marsh, his non-selection in the semi-final is a blow to his immediate future. Perhaps if the semi-final was being played on flatter pitches in Pakistan, Fraser-McGurk would have been picked, but there is a concern about his ability to survive quality pace bowling against the new ball. The strike weapon is still young, but there is plenty he’ll need to tighten up with his game to be a World Cup prospect in 2027.
SEAN ABBOTT
You have to feel sorry for Abbott, who after playing a large number of one-dayers for Australia since the last World Cup, couldn’t get a game at the Champions Trophy. Abbott is a fighter who will continue to be there or thereabouts for selection, but if he can’t get a start when the big three are out, he will be in a dogfight to be picked for the next World Cup.
AARON HARDIE
Like Fraser-McGurk, it’s a blow to Hardie to be overlooked for the semi-final for a youngster in Connolly who wasn’t even in the original squad. Hardie looked primed to play a key role for Australia as an all-rounder in this tournament but in the end was unsighted. A mature and classy player, Australia will desperately hope he can find form and rise again for the World Cup in 2027 given the retirement of all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and the fact Mitchell Marsh may struggle to bowl regularly in international cricket from here on out.
MITCHELL MARSH
He might be 33 years of age, but it’s hard to imagine a better top three batsman announcing themselves before the World Cup in two years’ time. Marsh as either an opener or No.3 batsman is what Australia needs.
PAT CUMMINS
Will pick and choose his appearances in one-day colours between now and the World Cup, but should be one of the first chosen when the whips are cracking.
JOSH HAZLEWOOD
Has been arguably Australia’s best white-ball bowler in recent years and even if injury has put a dent in his Test career, Hazlwood may still be determined to make it to South Africa in two years’ time, even though he’ll be 36. His body will decide.
MITCHELL STARC
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