Australia are not the contenders for the Champions Trophy 2025 - a rarity that one sees in cricket. For all the domination they have shown in world cricket, for all the championships that they have won, the Champions Trophy 2025 is a tournament where the Aussies enter as one of the weakest teams.
They have as many as six first-choice players missing out from the tournament. Captain Pat Cummins, vice-captain Mitchell Marsh, speedsters Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc and other all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Cameron Green are not with the squad, which will feature in the upcoming tournament in Pakistan and Dubai from February 19 onwards.
To add more woes to their already depleted squad, Australia have had a horror time in the Champions Trophy in the last two editions. The Aussies have, surprisingly, not won a single match in the Champions Trophy since 2009.
They have played six matches in the last two editions and have suffered losses in four of them with the other two being no-result outings.
Australia lost two of their three matches in the group stage in 2013 to England and Sri Lanka, while their match against New Zealand was washed out due to rain. The Aussies played three matches in 2017. Two of the matches ended in a no-result while their only completed match was a 40-run loss to England.
Australia last won a Champions Trophy match in the 2009 final when they defeated New Zealand to win their second consecutive title.
Steve Smith will be leading Australia in the tournament. They are placed in a difficult Group B which also features South Africa, England and Afghanistan. The Aussies will open their campaign against England on February 22, followed by their second match against South Africa and third against the Afghans.
Australia's squad for Champions Trophy: 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