Just a couple of weeks before the start of the ICC Champions Trophy, Australia have suffered a big blow as their skipper Pat Cummins is close to being ruled out of the competition. Australia coach Andrew McDonald dropped the bomb on Wednesday, confirming that Cummins hasn’t yet resumed the sort of bowling he was expected to. Hence, he is unlikely to regain fitness before the global ICC event starts. In Cummins’ absence, one of Travis Head and Steve Smith will be given the responsibility of leading Australia.

Cummins has had a hugely influential impact on Australia’s performances, be it in Test cricket or ODIs. His absence does leave Australia with a major headache, not only in terms of leadership but also in the pace bowling department.

“Pat Cummins hasn’t been able to resume any type of bowling so he’s heavily unlikely, so that would mean that we do need a captain,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald told SEN. “Steve Smith and Travis Head are the two that we’ve been having conversations with while we’ve been building out that Champions Trophy team along with Pat back home. They’ll be the two that we look at for that leadership post.

“They’re the two obvious ones. Steve has done a great job here in the [first] Test match. He’s done some good work in one-day international cricket across the journey as well. So it’s between those two.”

Australia are also likely to be without another senior pacer in the form of Josh Hazlewood for the Champions Trophy. Though Hazlewood isn’t ruled out yet, clarity on his availability is likely to come in a couple of days.

“But, as I said, Patty is hugely unlikely, which is a bit of shame, and we’ve also got Josh Hazlewood, who is battling [to be fit] at the moment. So that medical information will land over the next couple of days and we’ll be able to shore that up and let everyone know the direction.”