Steve Smith not worried about the absence of prominent players in the Champions Trophy, confident in youth
Australia captain Steve Smith is not worried about the absence of the team’s leading players at the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025. He believes that young players will be able to perform well under the pressure of this big tournament.
Australia will start their campaign against England on Saturday. However, the ODI World Champion team will have to land in the tournament without their three main fast bowlers – Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.
In addition, the injured all -rounder Mitchell Marsh and recently retired Marcus Stoinis will not be part of the team.
In the press conference before the match, Steve Smith said,
“We have not performed very well in the Champions Trophy as compared to other ICC tournaments. But I believe that we always give our best under pressure from big tournaments. ”
He also clarified that being ODI World Champion is irrelevant here, as the Champions Trophy is a completely separate tournament.
“Every match will have to play like a quarter -finals” – Smith
Smith said,
“I think you have to do well in the Champions Trophy from the beginning. This is not like the World Cup, where you can start slow. Therefore, we have the message to the players to play each match like a quarter -finals. “
“Big opportunity for young players”
The Australian captain admitted that the absence of experienced bowlers is a challenge, but he expressed full confidence in the young players.
Smith said:
“We will definitely miss our experienced fast bowlers, but we are not worried about it. This will give our young players a great opportunity to show their talent in world class competition. ”
Will Australia be able to leave an impression in the Champions Trophy this time?
Even though Australia will have to descend without their main players, the strong history of the team and the talent of the youth make it a dangerous team.
Now it has to be seen whether Steve Smith’s strategy and the team’s confidence takes him closer to the trophy.
Can Australia win the Champions Trophy this time? Explain your opinion in the comment! 
