Josh Inglis handed Australia captaincy after Mitchell Marsh ruled out of Pakistan ODIs with ankle injury

Josh Inglis will captain Australia in the ODI series against Pakistan after Mitch Marsh suffered an ankle injury.

Updated on: May 26, 2026, 16:20:52 IST

Written by Probuddha Bhattacharjee

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Josh Inglis will lead Australia in the three-match ODI series against Pakistan after Mitch Marsh was ruled out with an ankle injury sustained during the Indian Premier League, leaving the visitors without another senior leadership option for the white-ball assignment.

Josh Inglis will be leadng Australia in absence of Mitchell Marsh during the Pakistan series.

Marsh has returned to Perth after missing Lucknow Super Giants’ final IPL match last week. Cricket Australia confirmed that the all-rounder has not yet been replaced in the ODI squad and will continue to be assessed before a decision is made on his availability for the subsequent Bangladesh tour.

Inglis gets captaincy after Marsh setback

“Marsh … will remain in Perth for further assessment and treatment until further notice,” a Cricket Australia spokesperson said. (as quoted by cricket.com.au) “His availability for the white ball tour of Bangladesh will be determined in due course.”

The injury has forced Australia to turn to Josh Inglis, who will captain the national side for only the second time. His previous stint also came against Pakistan in November 2024, when Australia were without several first-choice players.

The Pakistan series has already been hit by Australia’s IPL-related absences. Pat Cummins, Australia’s regular ODI captain, and Travis Head, his deputy, are unavailable because of the IPL playoffs, which overlap with the matches in Rawalpindi and Lahore. Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc will also miss both the Pakistan and Bangladesh tours, while Head is expected to join the squad in Bangladesh after the IPL.

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Marsh’s absence could also push teenager Ollie Peake closer to a possible international debut. Australia’s Pakistan ODI squad includes Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Riley Meredith, Matthew Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Matt Short, Billy Stanlake and Adam Zampa, alongside Inglis and Peake.

The series begins on May 30 at Rawalpindi Stadium before moving to Lahore for the second and third ODIs on June 2 and June 4.

Matt Short said Australia were preparing for another difficult spin challenge in Pakistan, after recent white-ball results against the hosts went against them.

“When we look back at the last T20 series we had here before the World Cup, those wickets were … some pretty tough spinning conditions,” Short said. “So not 100 per cent sure what they’re going to produce for us here. But if it’s anything like that, we are prepared.”

Pakistan swept Australia 3-0 in a T20I series earlier this year and also beat them in their previous ODI series in 2024-25, giving the upcoming three-match contest an added edge.

“Pakistan have had it over us the last couple of series, so we’re certainly in the hunt for a series win,” Short said. “I know there’s been a lot of talk around a lot of test cricket coming up for Australia, but we really want to make sure we win these little white ball series here and there.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Probuddha Bhattacharjee
Probuddha Bhattacharjee is a sports writer and analyst with expertise spanning cricket, football, and multi-sport events, with a strong emphasis on data-driven journalism and tactical storytelling. He currently focuses on international cricket, the Indian Premier League, global tournaments, and emerging trends shaping modern sport, blending advanced statistics with strong narrative context to explain performance, strategy, and decision-making. His work aims to bridge the gap between numbers and storytelling, helping readers understand not just what happened on the field, but the tactical and structural reasons behind it. Trained in data journalism through the Google News Initiative (GNI) Data Journalism Lab, Probuddha works extensively with ball-by-ball datasets, performance metrics, and trend-based modelling to produce evidence-backed reports, explainers, and long-form features. His analytical approach focuses not only on outcomes but also on process—selection strategies, phase-wise tactics, workload management, and the influence of preparation and planning on match results. He is particularly interested in how statistical patterns reshape conventional cricketing narratives and provide clearer tactical insight for modern audiences. Beyond cricket, Probuddha has written analytical and news-driven pieces on football and other major sporting events, with a growing interest in sports governance, scheduling dynamics, and the economics of elite competitions. He also tracks how rule changes, franchise structures, and broadcast pressures influence the evolution of contemporary sport. He has previously contributed to platforms such as OneCricket, Sportskeeda, and CrickTracker, and continues to specialise in analytical storytelling, live coverage, and audience-focused reporting. His work prioritises clarity, context, and credibility, while consistently exploring innovative ways to present data through accessible narratives and structured match analysis.Read More

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