Australian vice-captain Adam Gilchrist has urged national selectors to consider resting players to keep the team fresh for the Ashes this summer.
"We have to get our priorities right there. It is important that selectors, administrators, players and whoever else needs to be involved sits down and nuts that out," Gilchrist said.
"I am not saying no one goes, or all key players (don't go to the Champions Trophy)... But we have to sit down and address it, definitely," the wicketkeeper-batsman was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Their Ashes rival England are also considering allowing their key players to skip the ICC event, hailed as mini world cup, slated to be hosted in India, ahead of the Ashes.
"I think we have to look very, very seriously at that lead-in to the Ashes, definitely.
"There is the Champions Trophy, and I believe there are potential other games of one-day cricket that may come up prior to that. We are going to have to be very careful about what we want to prioritise as most important."
But Cricket Australia operations manager Michael Brown said CA would not prioritise one series over another and placed the ICC trophy on an equal footing with the Ashes and the World Cup.
{{/usCountry}}But Cricket Australia operations manager Michael Brown said CA would not prioritise one series over another and placed the ICC trophy on an equal footing with the Ashes and the World Cup.
{{/usCountry}}"We are worried about the whole seven months of cricket. The ICC Champions Trophy is clearly important to Cricket Australia. We'll be sending a very very good team, the best team available at the time," Brown said.
"For us, the ICC tournaments are of No.1 importance. We have never won a Champions Trophy and would like to win it."