Josh Inglis has been appointed as the stand-in captain for Australia's third one-day international against Pakistan and the subsequent T20 series, replacing Pat Cummins and Mitchell Marsh. Selectors have elevated wicketkeeper-batsman Inglis ahead of more senior players such as Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa, and Marcus Stoinis.
ODI skipper Cummins will be rested for the final match in Perth on Sunday, along with test regulars Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, and Steve Smith. T20 captain Marsh is on paternity leave. According to selector George Bailey, Inglis is a crucial member of both the ODI and T20I teams and is highly respected both on and off the field. He has previously led Australia A and is expected to bring strong tactical acumen and a positive attitude to the captaincy role.
None of Australia's test players will participate in the three-match T20 series, which commences on November 14 at the Gabba in Brisbane, as they prepare for the five-test series against India starting on November 22 in Perth. Australia currently leads the three-match ODI series 1-0 after a two-wicket victory over Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday. The hosts aim to secure the series with a win in the second match at Adelaide Oval on Friday.
Selectors have brought back pace bowler Hazlewood for the second ODI after he missed the MCG match to play Sheffield Shield cricket. Additionally, pace bowlers Xavier Bartlett and Spencer Johnson, along with wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Philippe, have been included in the squad for the third ODI. While Australia has yet to finalize a test opener to replace David Warner, who retired from international cricket, Bailey hinted at potential candidates by revealing the batting order for the second Australia A match against India A.
Australia A captain Nathan McSweeney has been promoted to open with Marcus Harris for the four-day match starting at the MCG on Thursday, following his scores of 39 and an unbeaten 88 in the first fixture at Mackay. Young player Sam Konstas has been moved to number four after scoring a total of 16 runs in Mackay, while former test opener Cameron Bancroft remains at number three after matching Konstas's output. South Australia captain McSweeney, though not a specialist opener, has shown good form in the early stages of the Sheffield Shield, scoring a century and two fifties in two matches.
Meanwhile, India is sending batters KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel to Australia early to prepare for India A before the test series, according to Indian media reports. Rohit Sharma's India recently suffered a 3-0 whitewash by New Zealand, marking the first time they have been swept in a three-match test series on home soil.
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