Australia’s young rising pacer, Spencer Johnson, is all set to step into the shoes of Mitchell Starc for the upcoming Champions Trophy in Pakistan. With Starc opting out of the tournament for personal reasons, Johnson has been called up as a like-for-like replacement. Johnson, who had a strong outing in his debut ODI against Sri Lanka, is eager to prove his mettle on the big stage. In the first ODI on February 12, at Colombo, Johnson successfully made a strong impression as he picked up a wicket in his very first over and finished with figures of 2 for 44. His performance drew comparisons to that of Starc, who has long been Australia’s star left-arm pacer. After the match, Johnson, who himself is a fast bowler, shared his thoughts on replicating Starc’s style, mentioning his aspirations to bowl with similar aggression and precision. Johnson, 27, has set his sights on playing a key role in the tournament, expressing confidence that his skills will continue to grow. He said, “While the ball is swinging, it’s (the approach) pitch the ball up and try and hit the stumps. Guys like Trent Boult (New Zealand) and Starcy, left-armers who are aggressive, hopefully it’s what I can bring to Pakistan. It’s something I have pictured in my mind, come in and play a similar role to him (Starc). There was a bit of nerves there. I think I am better for the run, it’s only my third ODI, hopefully a few more and I’ll be able to replicate some of the stuff he’s done.” Read also: Mitchell Starc Opts Out of Champions Trophy; Healy Reacts Heading to Pakistan with confidence The young pacer also emphasized that his future selection depends on his performances, stating he is ready to compete for a spot alongside Mitchell Starc. He added, “I think it is in my hands, really, if I perform then I’ll be around. It’s up to performances, I feel like I am ready to play for Australia and had a little bit of a taste in T20 cricket and now some ODIs. Heading to Pakistan is exciting and I am ready to go." On February 12, Cricket Australia announced their 2025 Champions Trophy squad that features Spencer Johnson, replacing Mitchell Starc. With Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Starc absent, the team relies on a new pace quartet. Australia Champions Trophy 2025 final squad: Steve Smith (capt), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa.