Steve Smith will take the reins for Pakistan tournament that will feature none of Australia's 'big three' fast bowlers
Starc out, Smith to lead as Aussies lock in Champions Trophy squad
Australia's bid to lift the ICC Champions Trophy for the first time since 2009 will be made with any entirely new-look pace bowling line-up after Mitchell Starc withdrew from this month's tournament in Pakistan and UAE for personal reasons.
Starc, who was the only member of Australia's 'big three' fast bowling attack to play all seven Tests against India and Sri Lanka across the current summer, joins captain Pat Cummins (ankle) and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood on the sidelines for the upcoming event.
It means Australia, who will be captained at the tournament by Steve Smith, will be missing all three frontline fast bowlers from the outfit that carried them to the 50-over World Cup triumph in India just over a year ago, as well as injured allrounders Mitchell Marsh (back) and Marcus Stoinis who suddenly quit ODI cricket last week.
Australia Champions Trophy squad: 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.
Starc, who will not be commenting about his decision and has asked for privacy, looked to be in discomfort with a left ankle issue in bowling just four overs during Sri Lanka's second innings of last week's final Test at Galle.
It is understood he returned to Australia in the immediate aftermath of that game which means he will also miss the two-match ODI series against Sri Lanka starting in Colombo today.
While the reasons for Starc's withdrawal remain private, Cricket Australia has expressed their full support for the 35-year-old who stands on the cusp of 100 Test appearances (currently 96) and 400 Test wickets (now 382).
"We understand and respect Mitch’s decision,” chair of the national selection panel George Bailey said today.
"Mitch is deeply respected for his commitment to international cricket and the priority he places on performing for Australia.
"His well-documented ability to play through pain and adversity, as well as forgoing opportunities in other parts of his career to put his country first should be applauded.
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"His loss is of course a blow for the Champion’s Trophy campaign but does provide an opportunity for someone else to make a mark on the tournament."
The loss of the high-profile pace trio has opened the door for next-generation quicks Spencer Johnson, Nathan Ellis, Sean Abbott and Ben Dwarshuis who have been named in Australia's final 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy.
Johnson has played two ODIs and eight T20 internationals and is seen as a like-for-like replacement for Starc as a genuine left-arm quick.
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Ellis was a member of Australia's squad for last year's T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA and has previous experience in Pakistan having debuted on the ODI tour there in 2022.
Abbott was also part of the Pakistan ODI campaign and has been capped 26 times in ODIs including one game during Australia's triumphant 2023 World Cup campaign in India.
A pace-bowler with similar all-round skills to Abbott, Dwarshuis's only previous ODI for Australia came against England at Trent Bridge during last year's white-ball tour of the UK.
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Aaron Hardie takes over Stoinis's role as seam-bowling allrounder and middle-order hitter, although pitch conditions are likely to mean Glenn Maxwell's off-spin will play an equally important all-round role to complement principal spinner Adam Zampa.
Emerging leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha has been included in the 15-player squad after arriving in Sri Lanka earlier this month to join the Test touring party as a development player.
And 21-year-old spin-bowling allrounder Cooper Connolly has been named as the travelling reserve, adding further to his meteoric rise less than a week after he earned his maiden Baggy Green Cap in the second Test at Galle.
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While newly crowned Allan Border Medallist Travis Head is expected to open alongside Matt Short or possibly Josh Inglis, the inclusion of Jake Fraser-McGurk means Australia will have plenty of firepower options at the top of the order.
Fraser-McGurk played the most recent of his five ODIs for Australia against Pakistan at Perth last November, and recorded scores of 16, 13 and seven in that three-match series won by the touring team.
The 22-year-old also failed to pass 20 in the subsequent three-game T20I campaign against Pakistan but exploded into form in the final match of the BBL|14 regular season with 95 from 46 balls faced for Melbourne Renegades.
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"The squad has changed significantly over the past month on the back of some untimely injuries and the retirement of Marcus Stoinis," Bailey said today.
"The upside of that is that we have been able to call on players who have had international exposure and success over the past 12 months.
"A strong core of some our most experienced players will provide a strong foundation in our attempt to win this edition of the Champions Trophy.
"We have a range of options to shape the playing XI within the tournament depending on the opposition and conditions we face."
Test batters Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey have all been named in the squad, with Carey a chance to play as a specialist batter (if Inglis takes the keeping gloves) given his career-high innings of 156 in spinning conditions at Galle last week.
In Cummins' absence, Smith has been appointed captain having skippered – and been named player of the series – in Australia's recent 2-0 Test series defeat of Sri Lanka.
Smith will also lead the ODI line-up in this week's pair of 50-over matches against Sri Lanka in Colombo which effectively act as warm-up fixtures ahead of the Champions Trophy where Australia begins their campaign against England at Lahore on February 22.
Australia has twice lifted the Champions Trophy in 2006 and 2009, with the tournament last held in 2017 in the UK where Pakistan defeated India in the final at The Oval.
2025 ICC Men's Champions Trophy
Australia's Group B fixtures
February 22: Australia v England, Lahore (8pm AEDT)
February 25: Australia v South Africa, Rawalpindi (8pm AEDT)
February 28: Afghanistan v Australia, Lahore (8pm AEDT)
March 4: Semi-final 1, Dubai (8pm AEDT)
March 5: Semi-final 2, Lahore (8pm AEDT)
March 9: Final, Lahore or Dubai (8pm AEDT)
Australia squad: 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.