Mitchell Marsh Ruled Out of ICC Champions Trophy 2025 with Back Injury
Australia all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to a back injury. Marsh, who has been dealing with lower back pain and dysfunction, will not participate in the tournament and is unlikely to play again this season. His absence is also expected to affect his IPL stint with the Lucknow Super Giants.
Marsh has had a difficult season, losing his place in the Test team during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and struggling with his fitness. He was not part of the last three matches of the Big Bash League (BBL) season to allow himself time to mentally and physically refresh for the Champions Trophy, but his back issues persisted.
Cricket Australia (CA) issued a statement explaining that Marsh’s back injury had flared up in recent weeks, prompting the National Selection Panel (NSP) and the Australian men’s medical team to rule him out of the tournament. The team has decided that Marsh will undergo a longer rehabilitation period and further rest before returning to play. A replacement for Marsh will be announced soon.
With Marsh out, Australia’s top-order plans are in question. Marsh had been a key figure in the team, both as a player and a stand-in captain when Pat Cummins was unavailable. Potential replacements for Marsh include Jake Fraser-McGurk, Will Sutherland, and others, though Australia already has several batting options in the squad.
Additionally, with Marsh’s absence and the injury concerns surrounding Pat Cummins, Australia may need to find a new captain for the tournament. Travis Head, Steven Smith, and Josh Inglis are being considered for the leadership role, with the team still assessing their options.
Marsh was a crucial part of Australia’s 2023 ODI World Cup-winning campaign, scoring key centuries against Pakistan and Bangladesh. Since being promoted to the top order in March 2023, Marsh has been in excellent form, averaging 44.54 in ODIs with a strike rate of 109.13.
The Champions Trophy squad can be amended until February 11, after which any changes would require approval from the technical committee. In preparation for the tournament, Australia will play two ODIs in Sri Lanka on February 12 and 14.
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