Australia captain Steve Smith says the team’s up-and-coming talent is raring to go in the absence of top stars as they prepare to begin their Champions Trophy campaign against England.
The current ODI world champions suffered huge blows ahead of the 50-over tournament when they lost fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to ankle and hip injuries respectively, and Mitchell Starc, who is out due to personal reasons.
Mitchell Marsh is also absent with an injury and with Marcus Stoinis announcing his shock retirement from the one-day format last month, Australia will look depleted when they face Ashes rivals England in Lahore on Saturday.
The second line of pace bowlers including Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Spencer Johnson and Nathan Ellis have just over 40 ODIs between them.
“It is clear we are missing our gun fast bowlers, but we are not worried about that,” Smith told reporters.
“We are thinking about what we have got here and the opportunity those guys have. It’s going to be great to see them placed under pressure against some quality oppositions and it is going to be an exciting time for us.
“I think they have been placed under pressure, under many different scenarios, in T20 cricket or different T20 franchises around the world.”
Australia have been supreme competitors in ICC tournaments having won six ODI World Cup trophies, one T20 prize, two Champions Trophy titles and a World Test Championship.
“The pressure of big tournaments gets the best out of us as a team,” said Smith. “But over the last 10 or so years we haven’t performed as we would have liked in the Champions Trophy. Our message to the group is essentially it’s a quarter-final to begin proceedings and hopefully that can bring the best out of our players.”
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Both Australia and England come into the tournament at the back of series defeats to Sri Lanka and India.
Smith’s team suffered a 2-0 ODI whitewash in Sri Lanka while England went down 3-0 in India.
“We both didn’t play as well as we would have liked in the last couple of weeks but that doesn’t mean a great deal coming into tomorrow,” said Smith. “I think it’s a fresh start, it’s a new tournament. two good teams going at it, so I am looking forward to it tomorrow, should be a good game.”
England have announced their XI on Thursday with Jamie Smith to bat at No 3 position.
Smith said he will announce his team at the toss at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, but hinted he will come out to bat with one wicket down.
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