Mitch Marsh named to make return to Aussie cricket team - and could find himself as captain

Mitch Marsh's next match for Australia could be as captain after he was named in Australia's preliminary squad for the ODI Champions Trophy on Monday. Cricket Australia officials revealed last week that Pat Cummins is in doubt for the tournament with an ankle issue, although he was named skipper when the squad was unveiled on Monday.

It was confirmed last Thursday that Cummins won't travel to Sri Lanka for the two-Test series due to the impending birth of his second child, but it also came to light that he's been struggling with a sore ankle. Chief selector George Bailey said Cummins was set to undergo scans, and they're not sure if he'll play the Champions Trophy in February.

"We'll have to wait and see when that scan comes back and see how it's tracking," Bailey said. "There's a little bit of work to do. We'll probably get a bit more information around where that's at."

Mitch Marsh named to make return to Australian team

The Champions Trophy is a 50-over tournament and a modified version of an ODI World Cup, only involving the top eight teams in the world. The Aussies have marked the tournament as one they want to win, as it's one of the only major trophies in world cricket they don't currently hold.

On Monday, Cummins was included in Australia's preliminary 15-man squad for the tournament in Pakistan, but there was no update on his ankle. "This is a balanced and experienced squad with the core having been involved in the previous one-day World Cup, the West Indies series, last year's successful tour of the UK and the more recent Pakistan home series," Bailey said. "It offers a variety of options for touring management depending on opposition and the conditions that may present in Pakistan."

Mitch Marsh to captain if Pat Cummins is ruled out?

The absence of Cummins would be a major blow, but it would also mark a staggering twist for Marsh. The veteran all-rounder was recently axed from the Test team and wasn't included in the 16-player squad to tour Sri Lanka last week.

But because he's currently the vice-captain in ODIs, his next match for Australia could be as skipper if Cummins is ruled out. Considering the bumper year of Test cricket ahead - including the World Test Championship final in June and home Ashes series next summer - selectors might opt to keep Cummins on ice and have Marsh lead the team at the Champions Trophy.

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Marsh was made ODI vice-captain in 2023 and has acted as skipper at ODI level in nine matches - although he's only won four and lost five. It remains to be seen whether Marsh would keep the captaincy in Cummins' absence, or if it would go to someone like Steve Smith or Travis Head. The fact Marsh is no longer in the Test team might be a factor working against him, with Smith and Head the co-vice-captains at Test level.

Josh Hazlewood and Cameron Green on road to recovery

Last week, Bailey also provided an update on injured players Josh Hazlewood and Cameron Green. Hazlewood is being kept on ice and won't travel to Sri Lanka, but was named in the Champions Trophy squad on Monday: "Josh is working really hard and all the news of how he's responding to his recovery from the calf injury is coming along really well. It's just probably a little bit tight, given the amount of time that he would have missed and also with how we may structure up and the loads those quicks may be put under," Bailey said.

Green missed the India series due to stress fractures in his back, but Bailey said he's on track to play the WTC final at Lord's against South Africa - albeit as a specialist batter rather than all-rounder. It means all-rounder Beau Webster will likely retain his spot in the Test team moving forward, although Bailey insisted Marsh's career in the longer format isn't necessarily over.

Australia's squad for Champions Trophy:

Pat Cummins (c), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh (vc), Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.