Australia will call on their fourth-choice captain for the ODI series against Pakistan beginning this weekend after Mitch Marsh became the latest senior player to be ruled out of the tour.
Josh Inglis will skipper the Aussies in their three-match series after Marsh was revealed to have suffered an ankle injury in the Indian Premier League.
The 50-over captain Pat Cummins and his deputy Travis Head, who has led the Aussies four times in T20Is, are both absent due to the IPL playoffs that overlap with the games in Islamabad and Lahore.
It leaves Inglis to take the reins. The keeper-bat incidentally performed the role once before in November 2024, also against Pakistan and also when a host of first-choice players were absent.
Marsh, who has not yet been replaced in the ODI squad, has returned home having missed Lucknow Super Giants’ final IPL match last week.
“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.”
Cummins is being joined by Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc in missing both the Pakistan and Bangladesh tours. Head will join the group in Bangladesh after the IPL concludes.
More reinforcements in the shape of Cooper Connolly, Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis will also arrive for the three ODIs in Dhaka after that trio were initially been left out because it was presumed their IPL side, the Punjab Kings, would make the IPL playoffs.
That has underscored the logistical difficulties this series, which starts a day before the IPL final, has given Australian selectors, with Marsh’s injury their latest curveball.
His absence should increase the chances of teenager Ollie Peake making his international debut against Pakistan.
Matt Short, who will effectively be replaced by Connolly for the Bangladesh ODIs, is eager to inflict revenge on Pakistan after they swept Australia 3-0 in a bilateral T20I series earlier this year. They also beat the Aussies in their last ODI series in 2024-25.
“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 told reporters on Monday.
“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.
“It was a bit of a disappointing three-game series for us before the World Cup there. But if we are to face those conditions again, we’re ready for them, and we’re certainly preparing for them.
“Pakistan have had it over us the last couple of series, so we’re certainly in the hunt for a series win.
“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.”
Qantas Tour of Pakistan & Bangladesh 2026
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
May 30: First ODI, Rawalpindi Stadium, 9:30pm AEST
June 2: Second ODI, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, 9:30pm AEST
June 4: Third ODI, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, 9:30pm AEST
Australia squad for Bangladesh ODIs: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Adam Zampa
June 9: First ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, 3pm AEST
June 11: Second ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, 3pm AEST
June 14: Third ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, 3pm AEST
Australia squad for Bangladesh T20Is: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Adam Zampa
June 17: First T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST
June 19: Second T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST
June 21: Third T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST
All matches exclusive on Kayo Sports and Fox Cricket
