Pat Cummins to lead Australia in Champions Trophy

The Australia selectors named the preliminary squad for the Champions Trophy on Monday.

This is the first time Australia will play the 50-over tournament under his leadership.

Australia won the 50-over World Cup under the fast bowler's leadership in 2023 by beating home side India in the final.

Cummins shinned as the skipper in the longest format of the game as well when his squad defeated India to bring back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after a decade.

Cummins, however, will skip the upcoming test series in Sri Lanka in January and early February for personal reasons.

Josh Hazlewood, who missed the last two Test matches of the series against India due to injury, was named in the Champions Trophy squad.

Jake Fraser-McGurk missed his place in the team due to poor show with the bat.

Australia is placed in Group B alongside Afghanistan, England and South Africa.

All round-robin matches of the group will be played in Pakistan at Lahore and Rawalpindi.

Chief selector George Bailey said in a news release: "This is a balanced and experienced squad with the core having been involved in the previous one-day World Cup, the West Indies series, last year's successful tour of the UK and the more recent Pakistan home series."

2025 ICC Men's Champions Trophy

Australia preliminary squad: Pat Cummins (c), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

The upcoming edition of the tournament will be held in Pakistan and the UAE from February 19 to March 9.

The matches involving India will be played in the UAE.