Massive setback for Australia as two star players ruled out of Champions Trophy after Marcus Stoinis’ shock retirement

Australia faced a major blow on Thursday as captain Pat Cummins and senior pacer Josh Hazlewood were sidelined from the ICC Champions Trophy due to injuries.

Cummins has not been able to recover from the ankle injury he sustained during the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series against India, while Hazlewood is still in the process of healing from a calf strain.

Hazlewood's last competitive appearance was in the drawn third Test against India in Brisbane.

This development comes on the heels of all-rounder Marcus Stoinis' surprising retirement from ODIs and Mitchell Marsh's exit from the tournament due to a persistent back injury.

Earlier in the day, Stoinis, who was included in the Champions Trophy squad, announced his retirement from the 50-over international format to concentrate on the next chapter of his career. This choice has further complicated the selection process for a team already dealing with injuries to key players.

"Unfortunately Pat, Josh and Mitch are managing some ongoing injuries and haven't come up in time for the Champions Trophy," national selection panel chairman George Bailey said on Thursday.

"While disappointing, it does present a great opportunity for other players to perform for Australia in a world event," said Bailey.

In the absence of Cummins, either Steve Smith or Travis Head could step up to lead the reigning ODI World Cup champions in the upcoming Champions Trophy, which is set to begin in Pakistan on February 19.

The team will start their Champions Trophy journey against their long-time rivals England on February 22 in Lahore, followed by matches against South Africa on February 25 in Rawalpindi, and Afghanistan on February 28 in Lahore.

Both Cummins and Hazlewood, who are highly regarded fast bowlers, are currently undergoing a rigorous rehabilitation process before they can return to the field. This situation casts uncertainty on their participation in the Indian Premier League, which takes place after the ICC event.

Cummins is anticipated to captain Sunrisers Hyderabad, while Hazlewood was picked up by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for Rs 12.50 crore during the player auction.

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