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Wicket-keeper Josh Inglis was on Tuesday named the stand-in captain for Pat Cummins and Mitchell Marsh in Australia’s third one-day international against Pakistan and the following T20 series.
Inglis was promoted as skipper ahead of senior players including Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa, and Marcus Stoinis. ODI captain Cummins will be rested for the third and final one-dayer in Perth on Sunday along with Test regulars Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, and Steve Smith. They will then move on to preparing for the upcoming five-match Border Gavaskar Trophy series against India, starting in Perth on November 22. Selectors recalled Hazlewood for the second ODI after he missed the first match to play Sheffield Shield cricket.
Meanwhile, T20 captain Marsh and opener Travis Head are on paternity leave.
“Josh is an integral member of the ODI and T20I teams and a highly respected player on and off the field,” selector George Bailey said in a statement on Wednesday.
“He has led Australia A previously and will bring strong tactical nous and a positive approach to the role.”
Australia took a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series with a two-wicket win over Mohammad Rizwan’s Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday. The hosts will look to seal the series with victory in the second match at Adelaide Oval on Friday.
Pace bowlers Xavier Bartlett and Spencer Johnson, and wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Philippe, have been added to the squad for the third ODI.
Australia are yet to decide on a Test opener to replace David Warner, who has retired from international cricket, but Bailey hinted at the leading candidates in revealing the batting order for the second Australia A match against India A.
Australia A captain Nathan McSweeney has been promoted to open with 14-test batter Marcus Harris for the four-day match starting at the MCG on Thursday, having scored 39 and an unbeaten 88 in the first fixture at Mackay.
The visiting India A squad will have the likes of KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel joining the squad for the second unofficial Test beginning in Melbourne on Thursday.
– With Reuters inputs
