In a significant turn of events for Australian cricket, Mitchell Starc has withdrawn from the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy due to personal reasons, leaving the team without their frontline pace attack. Starc, who has taken 244 wickets in 127 ODIs, joins an injury list that already includes Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Marsh. Marcus Stoinis, another key player, had announced his retirement from ODI cricket, further depleting the squad.
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| Image Credits: India TV News |
Cricket Australia (CA) has respected Starc's privacy regarding his decision and has not disclosed further details. This withdrawal marks a blow to Australia's campaign, given Starc's history of playing through pain and his dedication to the national team. The absence of these key players has forced a significant reshuffle in the team composition.
Australia updated Squad for the Champions Trophy 2025: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa
Travelling Reserve: Cooper Connolly
New faces like Spencer Johnson and Tanveer Sangha have been drafted in to bolster the bowling attack, with Johnson providing a similar left-arm pace option to Starc. The squad now pivots around the leadership of Steve Smith, who will captain the side in the tournament starting on February 19 in Pakistan and the UAE.
This reshaped team will start their campaign against England in Lahore on February 22, aiming to overcome the odds and make a mark in the tournament despite the significant changes.
