Champions Trophy 2025: Marnus Labuschagne to be included in Australia’s team for opening game against England

The Australian selectors are poised to spring a few surprises for the Champions Trophy opener against England, including a big call on out-of-form batter Marnus Labuschagne.

Marnus Labuschagne has been backed by national selectors with the under-fire batter recalled to Australia’s one-day side for its Champions Trophy opener against England in Lahore on Saturday night (AEDT).

One of the heroes of the Aussies’ triumphant 50-over World Cup campaign in late 2023, Labuschagne will be part of a fortified batting lineup with West Australian all-rounder Aaron Hardie dumped for the clash with the Old Enemy.

Alex Carey is set to mirror Josh Inglis’ Test role in Sri Lanka by playing as a specialist batter, while left-arm bolter Ben Dwarshuis is poised to play just his third one-day international, expected to pip NSW and Sydney Sixers teammate Sean Abbott for the role of third specialist quick behind Spencer Johnson and Nathan Ellis.

No man has played more ODIs for Australia than Hardie (12) since the start of 2024. He is the lone seaming all-rounder in the Aussie squad given the injuries to Cameron Green and Mitch Marsh, and the retirement of Marcus Stoinis weeks out from the start of the tournament.

But the selection panel is understood to have backed part-time spin options Glenn Maxwell, Travis Head and Matt Short to supplement the three main quicks and leg-spinner Adam Zampa, leaving Hardie on the outer.

It means Labuschagne and Carey are likely to serve as middle-order stabilisers behind a top four of Head, Short, captain Steve Smith and Inglis, with the explosive Maxwell a floater depending on the match situation.

With Johnson essentially playing the Mitchell Starc spearhead role in a heavily depleted Australian attack missing Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, domestic white-ball mainstay Dwarshuis will likely provide a second left-arm option having proved more effective than Abbott from a small sample size against England during the tour of the UK last September.

Dropped during the ‘23 World Cup, Carey has been rewarded for strong batting form across red and white-ball cricket.

While also in decline in Test cricket, Labuschagne has averaged just 23.28 in ODIs since the start of 2024, but the memory of his bulwark knock in the World Cup final at Ahmedabad 15 months ago works in his favour.

Marnus Labuschagne will be named in Australia’s team for the Champions Trophy opener.

Runs against England in this match would do his prospects of Test retention no harm in an Ashes year. He was left out of Australia’s side for the second ODI against Sri Lanka at Colombo last week as part of pre-planned rotation, with the Aussies routed for 107 in a heavy defeat to a side that has not even qualified for the Champions Trophy.

Jake Fraser-McGurk and Tanveer Sangha are the other players in Australia’s 15-man squad set to miss selection barring a late change of plans.

England has announced that wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith will be listed at first drop for the match. Liam Livingstone and Joe Root will likely need to combine for 10 overs between them.

Australia bizarrely has not won a match at the Champions Trophy since claiming its second title in 2009, going winless in 2013 and 2017. The “mini World Cup” has often been derided and seemed potentially consigned to the scrapheap but has been resurrected for its first incarnation in eight years.

LIKELY TEAMS

Australia XI (likely): Travis Head, Matt Short, Steve Smith (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson

England XI: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

Originally published as Champions Trophy 2025: Marnus Labuschagne to be included in Australia’s team for opening game against England