Cameron Bancroft appointed captain of Gloucestershire following shoulder injury ordeal

Cameron Bancroft anticipates full recovery from his shoulder injury to captain Gloucestershire in the 2025 County Championship, aiming to return for Western Australia next month. He sustained serious injuries during a BBL match in January, affecting his ability to play since. Despite the trauma, he feels he is nearing full fitness and plans to participate in the Sheffield Shield in March. After a successful 2024 season with Gloucestershire, where he emerged as their leading run-scorer, Bancroft is optimistic about promotion after last year’s challenges. He is poised to bring his experience and leadership to the team.

Cameron Bancroft anticipates being fully fit from his shoulder injury to lead Gloucestershire at the beginning of the 2025 County Championship season, and he aims to return for Western Australia next month.
Bancroft was involved in a horrific collision with Daniel Sams while fielding for Sydney Thunder in the BBL during January. He has shared that he has been dealing with a degree of “trauma” since the incident. After breaking his nose and shoulder, he has not played since, but he hopes to participate in the Sheffield Shield in March before heading to England.
On Wednesday, Gloucestershire announced that he will take on the captaincy of their Championship team this year, stepping into the role after Graeme van Buuren resigned at the end of the previous season. Bancroft has informed the club’s channels that he is recovering “pretty well” and is “getting close” to full fitness.

“The shoulder’s healing well. There was a bit of trauma to manage,” Bancroft stated. “I’m definitely learning from the experiences of quite a few other players. Healing takes time… I’m getting very close and am eager to start playing cricket in early March.”

Bancroft had a standout season for Gloucestershire in 2024, scoring three Championship hundreds and finishing as their top run-scorer as they clinched the T20 Blast title. He is set to return for the full season in 2025, and head coach Mark Alleyne noted that his attitude last year made him the perfect candidate for captain.

“Cameron had an impressive year with us in 2024 and consistently led by example,” Alleyne remarked. “I admire his dedication to preparation and how he translates that performance onto the field. His experience in Test cricket and winning four-day titles provides a solid foundation of experience for our players to learn from.”

Although Gloucestershire finished second-last in Division Two last year, Bancroft is confident that they can aim for promotion. “We learned valuable lessons last year,” he said. “We will build on those lessons, focus on our strengths, and the skills we excel at. If we can achieve this, we will be a team that is tough to beat and highly competitive.”

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