Pat Cummins is no certainty to play in the Champions Trophy with Australia’s captain to undergo scans on a sore ankle.
With Australia’s captain already sitting out the Test tour of Sri Lanka for the impending birth of his child, Cricket Australia confirmed on Thursday the quick was also managing ankle pain.
Officials are unsure about the severity of the injury, or whether he will be fit to return for Australia’s first match in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan on February 22.
“We’ll have to wait and see when that scan comes back and see how it’s tracking,” chief selector George Bailey said.
“There’s a little bit of work to do.
“We’ll probably get a bit more information around where that’s at.”
The absence of Cummins would be a major blow for Australia, who have had an eye on the Champions’ Trophy since lifting the 50-over World Cup in 2023.
Australia have not won the tournament since 2009, with India and Pakistan having triumphed in the two editions since then.
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Mitch Marsh is Australia’s vice-captain in the one-day format, having taken on the full-time role in Twenty20s.
Marsh was not picked in the Test squad for Sri Lanka on Thursday, but selectors have said he will be part of the Champions Trophy group to be named early next week.
Josh Hazlewood is also not going to Sri Lanka on his return from a calf injury, with the seamer also kept on ice for the 50-over tournament.
Australia have instead gone with Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and Sean Abbott in the Test group.
Pat Cummins celebrates dismissing Rohit Sharma. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
There is the potential they could play only one quick at Galle, depending on the wicket, adding more workload to any of the trio who does play.
“Josh is working really hard and all the news of how he’s responding to his recovery from the calf injury is coming along really well,” Bailey said.
“It’s just probably a little bit tight, given the amount of time that he would have missed and also with how we may structure up and the loads those quicks may be put under.”
© AAP