Champions Trophy 2025: 3 players who can replace Pat Cummins as captain in Australia Squad

Australia are one of the prime contenders to win the impending Champions Trophy 2025. However, they could be missing the services of their talismanic captain Pat Cummins, who is recovering from an ankle injury that he aggravated during the Border-Gavaskar series against India.

Cummins opted to skip Australia's ongoing tour of Sri Lanka to be with his wife as she is expecting the birth of their second child. This break also gives a chance for Cummins to rest his ankle. Australia's head coach Andrew McDonald recently revealed that the 31-year-old has not resumed bowling as yet.

If Cummins fails to recover in time for the eight-team tournament, the Men in Yellow will be forced to name a new captain. Australia are placed in Group B along with England, South Africa, and Afghanistan. CricTracker lists three players who could take up the responsibility.

Also Read: Pat Cummins is heavily unlikely to play Champions Trophy: Australia coach Andrew McDonald

Here are three players who can replace Pat Cummins as Australia's captain: 

3. Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell could be an interesting choice as captain of the Australian team. He has played seven Tests, 145 ODIs, and 116 T20Is for the national team. However, he has not had the opportunity to lead the side. Announcing him as the captain in a marquee event like the Champions Trophy could be a risk but Cricket Australia (CA) doesn't shy away from taking bold calls.

Maxwell has not led any team in List A cricket. However, he has the experience of captaining in 79 T20 matches. He has 41 wins and 37 losses under his belt. One match ended in a no result. Maxwell has a win percentage of 51.90. The 36-year-old is known for his aggressive batting and never-say-die attitude. If he is appointed as the captain, and if he can instil the same mentality into his side, that could pay dividends.