England Playing XI vs Australia In Champions Trophy 2025 Revealed; Wicket-keeper Batter Returns

The England Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed its playing eleven for the opening contest against Australia in the Champions Trophy 2025 on February 22 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Both sides will open their accounts in the campaign after a tough recent time in the bilateral ODI series.

The Jos Buttler-led side went through a tough time against India with a 3-0 series defeat, as their batters had no idea of facing the spinners on the slow and low surfaces. It was the same story for the Steve Smith-led side in Sri Lanka. The current ODI champions will also be without their five regular players, including the three dominating pacers.

Jamie Smith to bat at No. 3 for England

Jamie Smith, who missed the Indian series due to injury, will bat at number three in the line-up besides keeping wickets for England in the clash against the arch-rivals. The 22-year-old has featured in seven ODIs to smash 133 runs at a strike rate of 93 in the home summer.

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That means Joe Root, who was England’s first-choice number three for the best part of the decade, will drop to number four, like the last 50-over fixture in Ahmedabad. Smith has batted only at number five or six in the seven ODIs in his career to date but will carry a new role in the first match at the ICC event.

Root has enjoyed most of his ODI success at number three with 4374 runs in 102 innings at an average of nearly 50, shouldering on 29 half-centuries and 14 centuries at the best score of unbeaten 133 runs. While at number four, the right-handed batter has grabbed 2037 runs in 56 ODI innings at an average of around 40.74, thanks to 10 half-centuries and four centuries.

England’s team management has also retained Liam Livingstone at number seven, which means Root and Livingstone can share 10 overs between them. Harry Brook, who had a tough time in the first two ODIs against India in Nagpur and Cuttack, will bat at number five, as Jos Buttler will follow him at number six.

Jofra Archer returns to England’s bowling lineup

Brydon Carse, the right-arm pacer for England, missed the last two ODIs in India with a toe injury but now has been passed fit for the Champions Trophy opener. He will straightaway come back to the side to provide the 2019 ODI World Cup champions the required balance in the playing eleven.

In 19 ODI innings, Carse has collected 23 scalps at an average of 38.17 and a strike rate of 36.1, thanks to the best figure of 5/61 in an inning. With the bat, he can provide the side with some valuable runs at the back end of the innings.

Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, and Saqib Mahmood miss out on selection of the England side, as Mark Wood and Jofra Archer’s genuine pace are set to share the new ball between them. The two bowlers can also come up in the middle overs with hostile pace to make mistakes for the batters.

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Australia will be weak in the absence of their first-choice players, including Pat Cummins, Mithell Marsh, and Josh Hazlewood, all of who have been ruled out of the event with respective injuries. Mitchell Starc has pulled out of the competition due to personal reasons, while Marcus Stoinis announced a sudden retirement from the 50-over format.

England’s Playing XI vs Australia In Champions Trophy 2025

Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk.), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.