Australia’s stand-in skipper Steve Smith remains confident about his team’s prospects at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, despite a 2-0 ODI series loss to Sri Lanka.
Australia, plagued by selection setbacks, entered the series without key players Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Marsh, all sidelined due to injuries. With Mitchell Starc unavailable and Marcus Stoinis having retired from ODIs earlier this year, the squad underwent significant changes. The makeshift Australian side struggled, suffering consecutive defeats in Sri Lanka – failing to chase 215 in the first ODI and collapsing for 107 in pursuit of 282 in the second.
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Despite the disappointing results, Smith backed the team’s bowling attack, particularly the pacers who have stepped up in the absence of senior players.
“I think they’ve all got their own unique skills,” Smith said. “For me, captaining them, it’s about me communicating with them and trying to get the right option out of them at the right time.
“They all do it differently – Ben Dwarshius and Spencer Johnson up-top trying to swing the ball back down the line. Sean (Abbott) has terrific lengths, Nathan Ellis has change-ups.”
With spin expected to play a crucial role in Pakistan, where the Champions Trophy will be held, Smith expressed confidence in Australia’s resources.
“Yeah, we’ve got a couple of spinners as well with (Adam) Zampa and Tanveer (Sangha), who’s got a good skill set,” he noted. “[In] Maxwell and Short, we’ve got plenty of part-time options.”
Smith also weighed in on Jake Fraser-McGurk, one of the latest inclusions in Australia’s Champions Trophy squad. The 22-year-old, known for his aggressive batting, struggled in the Sri Lanka series, managing just 2 and 9 in his two outings. However, Smith backed him to find his rhythm in Pakistan.
“He’s obviously a very aggressive player. He’s got all the shots around the ground,” Smith said. “It’s just about picking the right time to play them. He hasn’t quite gotten going yet, but he played a couple of nice shots out there, and we know the talent he possesses. That’s why he’s in this squad. He’s dangerous, and the wickets in Pakistan suit him.”
Australia will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against England in Lahore on February 22.