Champions Trophy 2025: Key Players Missing Due to Injuries and Personal Reasons
There are only a few months until the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 begins, but already, many teams are feeling the heat.
A few of cricket’s fastest household names will be missing the exercise for a myriad of reasons, including personal issues, injuries, and even retirement.
In the following article, detailed information concerning the players that will not be participating is provided along with how their absence may affect their teams and what is projected of the available substitutes.
Why Are So Many Players Missing the Champions Trophy 2025?
Like many other sports, cricket is equally as physically challenging, and injuries are controlled to an extent, unfortunately.
Every player has to attend the Champions Trophy 2025, which is why it is deemed one of the most sought-after tournaments, and because of this need, players exceed their limit.
Furthermore, personal obligations, as well as retirements, have thinned the herd even more.
Let’s break down the key players who will be missing the action and how their absence might impact their respective teams.
Teams and Their Missing Stars
1. Australia: A Depleted Pace Attack
Defending champions Australia also suffer from a large blown as every one of their first-choice pace bowlers is set to miss the tournament.
- Pat Cummins: Missing the match owing to an ankle injury.
- Josh Hazlewood: hip issue makes him unavailable.
- Mitchell Starc: Dropped out citing personal reasons which has created a big gap in the bowling attack.
- Mitchell Marsh is out for the season due to a back injury.
- Marcus Stoinis: Announced his retirement from ODI’s on 2/6/2025.
Impact:
Young guns like Sean Abbott and Spencer Johnson will have to step up and fill the shoes of the bowlers who helped secure the cup in twenty-three.
2. India: Jasprit Bumrah’s Absence
- The lead bowler of India, Jasprit Bumrah, is out due to a back injury sustained during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Impact:
India’s dependence on Bumrah is strong, especially during critical moments of a match. The side will need to depend on Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj to step up.
Pakistan: Haris Rauf’s Fitness Concerns
- Haris Rauf of Pakistan is struggling with a low-grade side strain during the tri-series with New Zealand and South Africa. Saim Ayub is also out of the tournament.
Impact:
For Pakistan’s chances of winning at home, Rauf’s fitness is important. If he isn’t able to recover in time it could spell trouble for the chance of restricting runs from the batters on the other side.
4. New Zealand: Injury Worries
Two pillars of the New Zealander team remain a worry due to injury:
- Lockie Ferguson Suffered a hamstring tear during the ILT20.
- Rachin Ravindra: Took a head injury while fielding against Pakistan.
Impact:
Both Ferguson’s pace and Ravindra’s all-round strengths are indispensable to New Zealand. Losing both is a potential mismatch to the team’s balance.
5. South Africa: Bowling Woes
South Africa has lost two of their favorite fast bowlers for the time being:
- Anrich Nortje: Currently out because of a back injury.
- Gerald Coetzee: Sustained a groin pull right before the start of the tournament.
Impact:
The South African’s bowling stock looks profoundly shallow without these two, and they will be praying for their depth to handle it.
6. Afghanistan: Spin Sensation Out
- AM Ghazanfar, the Afghanistan prodigy spinner, is out for the time being with a broken vertebra from the tour of Zimbabwe.
Impact:
Without him, Afghanistan is missing its great and potent weapon of recent years: spin bowling.
7. England: Young Talent Sidelined
- Jacob Bethell, a promising young all-rounder, is out with a hamstring injury picked up during England’s tour of India.
Impact:
While England has depth in their squad, Bethell’s absence is a missed opportunity to blood young talent in a high-pressure tournament.
How Teams Are Adapting to the Absences
The adjustments to notable absences have been made swiftly, although it is much more difficult to replace star players on the teams. Here’s how some teams are modifying:
- India: Thakur and Chahar are expected to divide the bowling responsibilities equally.
- Pakistan: If Rauf is unavailable, Afridi and Shah may be called upon to spearhead the attack.
- South Africa: In light of the absence of Nortje and Coetzee, more will be required of Rabada.
FAQs About the Champions Trophy 2025 Absences
Why is Mitchell Starc not playing in the Champions Trophy 2025?
Starc has opted out of this tournament for personal purposes and is now alongside Cummins and Hazlewood on the bench.
Who will replace Jasprit Bumrah in India’s squad?
In the meantime, there has not been an official announcement for his replacement. However, Shami and Siraj are expected to top the Indian bowling list.
Is Haris Rauf fit for the Champions Trophy?
Rauf is dealing with a side strain that is considered low-grade, and whether or not he is available is dependent on how well he recovers in the next couple of days.
How will Australia cope without their first-choice pace attack?
Australia has brought in Sean Abbott, Spencer Johnson, and Ben Dwarshuis to try and fill the gaps left by Cummins, Hazlewood, and Starc.
Which teams are most affected by player absences?
Australia and South Africa both are suffering the most since these 2 teams are without their whole first-choice pace attack.
Why is Pat Cummins not playing the Champions Trophy?
Pat Cummins, Australia’s captain, is not participating in the Champions Trophy 2025 because of his ankle injury. He has been managing this issue for some time and has decided to take the time off to make sure he doesn’t further complicate things.
Why is Mitchell Starc not playing the Champions Trophy in 2025?
Starc has chosen to opt out of the Champions Trophy 2025 for personal matters.
While the exact specifics are kept confidential, Cricket Australia has said they honor his decision and has announced other players will take his position in the team.
Is Rachin Ravindra ruled out of the Champions Trophy?
At this point, Rachin Ravindra has yet to be ruled out for the Champions Trophy 2025.
He took a hit to the forehead during a match with Pakistan and is being monitored. New Zealand will check his fitness level prior to the tournament.
Why is Josh Hazlewood not playing in the Champions Trophy?
Josh Hazlewood has a hip injury, which makes him unavailable to play in the Champions Trophy 2025.
This is an issue he has been working on for a while and he has decided to use this time to recuperate to avoid long-term damage.
Is Marcus Stoinis playing in the Champions Trophy?
No, Marcus Stoinis retired from ODIs on 6th February 2025 and so will not be in Australia’s squad for the Champions Trophy 2025.
Is Anrich Nortje playing in the Champions Trophy?
No, Anrich Nortje is ruled out of the Champions Trophy 2025 because of a back injury. He has not played any competitive form of cricket since December 2024.
Is Lockie Ferguson playing in the Champions Trophy?
Lockie Ferguson is out with a hamstring injury he picked up during the ILT20.
He may return for the Champions Trophy 2025, but we will have to wait and see how his recovery goes over the next few weeks.
Is Jacob Bethell playing in the Champions Trophy?
No. Jacob Bethell is out of the tournament after suffering a hamstring injury during England’s white-ball tour of India.
Who will lead Australia in Pat Cummins’ absence?
Steve Smith is set to lead Australia for the tournament, as Cummins will be unavailable due to recovering from an ankle injury.
Are there any replacements for Gerald Coetzee in South Africa’s squad?
Yes. South Africa have replaced Coetzee with Lungi Ngidi, who is also out with a groin injury.
Conclusion
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be an exciting tournament in its own right, yet the injuries and absences of several popular players add an element of uncertainty.
Overcoming these obstacles will require teams to depend on their depth and flexibility.
As customers, all we can do is wish that the tournament remains fierce and hot-blooded painfully, even if some of our cherished players won’t be present.
