Australia has consistently demonstrated its prowess in major cricket tournaments, remaining a formidable contender regardless of preceding circumstances. However, it must be acknowledged that they enter this Champions Trophy facing significant challenges. Their preparation included a two-match ODI series in Sri Lanka, which they lost decisively. Furthermore, leading up to both this series and the Champions Trophy, Australia has been dealt a blow with the absence of five key players for various reasons.

Pat Cummins, the exceptional captain who has guided Australia to numerous recent titles, including the 2023 World Cup, is sidelined due to injury, along with Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Marsh. Additionally, Mitchell Starc, another leading fast bowler, has withdrawn for personal reasons, while all-rounder Marcus Stoinis made the surprising announcement of his retirement from ODIs on February 5.

As a result, Australia appears to have an unbalanced squad on paper as they approach the Champions Trophy, featuring a wealth of experienced batsmen alongside relatively inexperienced bowlers. Steve Smith, who captained the team in the previous Champions Trophy, will once again take the helm this year, despite the changes that have occurred since then.

In the batting lineup, he will be supported by the in-form Travis Head and Glenn Maxwell. Marnus Labuschagne presents an intriguing situation, having failed to surpass 50 runs in his last seven ODI innings and being omitted from the squad for the second match against Sri Lanka, although Smith clarified that this decision was not based on Labuschagne's performance.

Josh Inglis is anticipated to secure a position in the middle order, while Matthew Short is likely to open alongside Head, despite his disappointing scores of a duck and two runs in the recent series against Sri Lanka. The promising yet relatively inexperienced Jake Fraser-McGurk may also be included in the top order, and it will be intriguing to observe his performance in a format that is longer than T20s.

The seasoned Adam Zampa is expected to play a crucial role in the bowling attack.

Recent form

The newly formed Australian ODI squad underwent its initial assessment in Sri Lanka, yielding rather disappointing outcomes. In the first match, they suffered a defeat by 49 runs, being bowled out for 165 while attempting to chase a target of 215. The situation worsened in the second ODI, where they faced a significant loss by 174 runs, managing only 107 runs in pursuit of 282. Of particular concern is the underperformance of their seasoned batting lineup, which faltered considerably in both encounters.

Australia's optimal XI includes: Travis Head, Matt Short, Steven Smith (C), Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey (WK), Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, and Spencer Johnson.

The complete Australian squad for the Champions Trophy 2025 comprises: 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, and Adam Zampa. The traveling reserve is Cooper Connolly.

Read Also: Pakistan Unlikely to Win Champions Trophy 2025, Says Kamran Akmal

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