Australia must be "switched on" from the outset as they prepare to face England in the Champions Trophy, following a series of setbacks. The team suffered significant defeats in two preparation matches against Sri Lanka, raising concerns over their form. The absence of their renowned pace trio—Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc—adds to the challenge. Cummins and Hazlewood are sidelined with injuries, while Starc withdrew for personal reasons. As a result, Nathan Ellis stands as the sole pace bowler in a squad suddenly light on experience.
Despite these challenges, Australia aims to replicate their World Cup success earlier this year, where they triumphed despite losing their first two matches. England captain Jos Buttler anticipates a "really tough challenge" from Australia, acknowledging their potential despite recent setbacks.
"The three guys have been a real pillar of success for Australia for a long period of time so naturally they'll be a miss for their team," said Jos Buttler. "But there's some top players to step into their shoes as well who have performed very well over time."
Australia's famed pace trio has not appeared together in a major white-ball tournament for 14 years but has accumulated 525 one-day international wickets collectively. Their absence places additional pressure on the team as they navigate Group B, which includes England, Afghanistan, and South Africa. The Proteas set the tone for the group with a commanding victory over Afghanistan in the opening match.
Stand-in captain Steve Smith remains optimistic about the team's prospects, focusing on the new opportunities that lie ahead.
"We're missing a few of our gun fast bowlers but we're not worried about that, we're thinking about what we've got here and the opportunity those guys have," Smith stated. "It's a fresh start, a new tournament and two good teams going at it."
England enters the contest on the back of four consecutive ODI series victories, contrasting Australia's fluctuating form. However, both teams are familiar with the unpredictability of tournament cricket, as demonstrated by Australia's recent World Cup campaign.
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