Australia has turned to a fourth-choice skipper for the upcoming ODI series against Pakistan, kicking off this weekend, after Mitchell Marsh became the latest high-profile casualty to be sidelined from the tour.Josh Inglis will take the captaincy reins for the three-match series. The decision comes after it was revealed that Marsh sustained an ankle injury while playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL).Australia’s standard 50-over captain, Pat Cummins, alongside his deputy Travis Head (who has captained the T20I side four times), are both unavailable. Their absence is due to a scheduling clash with the IPL playoffs, which overlap with the matches set to take place in Islamabad and Lahore. This leaves Inglis to guide the squad. Interestingly, the wicketkeeper-batsman has filled this exact role once before back in November 2024, coincidentally also against Pakistan, and also during a period when a large chunk of the first-choice squad was missing. Marsh has already flown back to Australia after sitting out the Lucknow Super Giants’ final IPL fixture last week. Cricket Australia has yet to name a replacement for him in the ODI squad.“Marsh ... will remain in Perth for further assessment and treatment until further notice,” said a Cricket Australia spokesperson. “His availability for the white ball tour of Bangladesh will be determined in due course.” The leadership void is part of a wider player shortage, as Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc are all bypassing both the Pakistan and Bangladesh tours.Head is scheduled to link up with the national team later in Bangladesh once his IPL commitments wrap up. Furthermore, reinforcements like Cooper Connolly, Xavier Bartlett, and Ben Dwarshuis are slated to join the squad for the three ODIs in Dhaka. The trio were initially bypassed under the assumption that their IPL franchise, the Punjab Kings, would qualify for the playoffs. These rapid squad changes highlight the logistical headaches facing Australian selectors for a series that launches just 24 hours before the IPL final, with Marsh’s sudden injury throwing another wrench into their plans.However, Marsh’s unfortunate exit opens a door for teenage prospect Ollie Peake, boosting his chances of earning an international debut against Pakistan. Australia squad for Pakistan ODIs: Josh Inglis (c), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Riley Meredith, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Matt Short, Billy Stanlake, Adam Zampa Pakistan squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Salman Ali Agha (vc), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir, Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain, Sufyan Moqim Itinerary:May 30: First ODI, Rawalpindi Stadium, 9:30pm AESTJune 2: Second ODI, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, 9:30pm AESTJune 4: Third ODI, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, 9:30pm AEST
admin
