Cummins named to captain Australia at Champions Trophy despite ankle injury

Pat Cummins has been named as Australia’s captain for the Champions Trophy despite dealing with an ankle injury.

The star quick will miss Australia’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka, mainly due to the birth of his second child, but also to rest after the gruelling battle for the Border-Gavaskar trophy.

Cummins was on Monday included in Australia’s preliminary 15-man squad for the tournament in Pakistan, starting in February.

“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,” chairman of selectors George Bailey said.

“It offers a variety of options for touring management depending on opposition and the conditions that may present in Pakistan.”

Star quick Josh Hazlewood has been named after missing three of the five Border-Gavaskar Tests due to injury.

Hazlewood will continue to recover and miss the Tests in Sri Lanka, but will return for a one-off ODI in the country following the red-ball series.

Australia has not won the Champions Trophy since 2009, with India and Pakistan having triumphed in the two editions since then.

Mitch Marsh, who was recently axed from the Test squad, is Australia’s vice-captain in the one-day format, having become skipper of the T20 team.

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

AAP