MELBOURNE, Australia — On Thursday, Australia announced that captain Pat Cummins and fast bowler Josh Hazlewood would miss the upcoming Champions Trophy due to injuries. Additionally, allrounder Marcus Stoinis has unexpectedly stepped away from one-day internationals, further complicating Australia’s lineup.

Mitchell Marsh, another allrounder, had already withdrawn from the tournament the previous week due to a back injury. Cummins has been struggling to recover from an ankle injury he sustained during the Border Gavaskar Trophy test series against India, while Hazlewood is dealing with an ongoing hip issue.

“Unfortunately, Pat, Josh, and Mitch are managing some ongoing injuries and haven’t been able to recover in time for the Champions Trophy,” stated George Bailey, the head of Australia’s selectors. He added that while this situation is disappointing, it also opens the door for other players to showcase their skills in a major international event.

Cricket Australia confirmed that both Cummins and Hazlewood will enter an “extended period of rehabilitation” to address their injuries effectively.

As the tournament approaches, Steve Smith and Travis Head are considered the leading candidates to take over as Australia’s captain during the Champions Trophy, which will take place in Pakistan this month. Australia is placed in Group B, alongside England, South Africa, and Afghanistan, with their first match set against England in Lahore on February 22.

To prepare for the tournament, Australia will play two warm-up one-day internationals in Sri Lanka. The team has also made several additions to the squad for these ODIs, including fast bowlers Sean Abbott, Spencer Johnson, and Ben Dwarshuis, along with leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha, allrounder Cooper Connolly, and opening batsman Jake Fraser-McGurk.