ICC Champions Trophy 2025: BBL hero named as Mitchell Marsh's replacement by Ricky Ponting

Legendary Australia captain Ricky Ponting has made a surprising call to include Mitchell Owen in the team's Champions Trophy 2025 squad. Ponting feels that Owen is in good form and can replace the injured Mitchell Marsh in Australia's squad.

Marsh has been a key player for Australia, especially in the white-ball formats. He was included in the team's preliminary squad for the Champions Trophy despite being dropped from the Test team.

However, he was ruled out of the upcoming Champions Trophy due to a back injury. The selection panel led by George Bailey has a few days left before submitting the list of the final 15 players to the ICC.

Also read: Basit Ali exposes 'Mumbai lobby' politics in Indian cricket, backs Rishabh Pant as new captain

Ricky Ponting picks Mitchell Owen to replace Mitchell Marsh

During a conversation on The ICC Review, Ricky Ponting picked the young batting sensation Mitchell Owen to replace Mitchell Marsh. Ponting reminded everyone of the BBL final in which Owen smashed a whirlwind century for Hobart Hurricanes.

“I'm not sure which way they'll go to be honest. I don't know if you guys have been watching the BBL (Big Bash League), but we've had one young kid that's just emerged out of nowhere, a kid called Mitch Owen, who has opened the batting for the Hobart Hurricanes,” said Ponting.

The former Australian skipper counted the similarities between Owen and March by calling both of them the batting allrounders.

“He's also an all-rounder, probably more suited (as a replacement for Marsh). I mean, Mitch Marsh has batted in the top three in one-day cricket, mostly in the last couple of years anyway," Ponting noted.

“Mitch Owen has opened the batting in T20 cricket and opened the batting for Tasmania in the (domestic ODI competition) Marsh Cup this season, which is our 50-over format,” he added.

"Honestly I'd be surprised" - Ricky Ponting

While Ricky Ponting has endorsed Mitchell Owen for a spot in Australia's Champions Trophy squad, he would be surprised if he finds the youngster in the squad. Another allrounder Cameron Green is on track to be fit but Ponting believes he is still away from being fully fit.

“Look, honestly I'd be surprised if it is him, but I think the selectors now know that there is a really high-quality replacement there. Cameron Green (is) just starting to come back from injury as well. I don't think he's going to be fully fit for that tournament either," Ponting noted.

Cameron Green underwent surgery last year due to which he missed many important series for Australia. However, he has started to train again but won't be available for the upcoming Champions Trophy.

Mitchell Owen's exceptional BBL season

Mitchell Owen smashed the joint-fastest BBL hundred in the final of Big Bash League 2024-25. He reached his hundred off just 39 balls and equaled Phil Simmons' record. The fact that Owen's knock came in a high-pressure game like a final makes it even better.

Owen also emerged as the highest run-getter of the season with 452 runs in 11 matches at an average of 45.20 and a blistering strike rate of 203.60. The right-hander struck 2 hundreds during this season.