Mitchell Marsh Ruled Out Of Pakistan ODI Series With Injury, Josh Inglis Likely To Lead Australia

Australia suffered a major setback ahead of the Pakistan ODI series after stand-in captain Mitchell Marsh was ruled out with an ankle injury, leaving Josh Inglis set to take charge of a depleted squad.

Australia’s preparations for the ODI series against Pakistan suffered a significant blow after stand-in skipper Mitchell Marsh was ruled out due to an ankle injury. The all-rounder’s participation in the upcoming Bangladesh tour also remains doubtful, creating further uncertainty for the visitors ahead of a busy international schedule.

Marsh was originally expected to captain the side in the absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins. However, he did not travel with the Australian squad to Pakistan after already missing Lucknow Super Giants’ final IPL 2026 league-stage fixture against Punjab Kings earlier this month.

The injury comes at a difficult time for Australia, who are already missing several senior stars because of IPL commitments and workload management concerns.

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Josh Inglis Set To Take Over Captaincy Duties

With Marsh unavailable, wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis is now expected to lead Australia during the ODI series. Inglis has limited experience as an international captain but previously led Australia in one ODI and three T20Is against Pakistan in late 2024.

Alex Carey also remains an alternative leadership option, having captained Australia during an ODI tour of the Caribbean back in 2021.

Australia’s squad for the Pakistan series already looks heavily depleted. Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are unavailable, largely because of their involvement in the IPL 2026 playoffs. The absence of Marsh and Head also leaves Australia without their preferred ODI opening pair.

Selectors are now expected to reshuffle the batting order, with Matt Short likely to retain one opening slot while another partner still needs to be identified.

Australia Continue World Cup Planning Amid Squad Concerns

Marsh’s absence is especially concerning considering his excellent recent form. The experienced all-rounder enjoyed a strong IPL 2026 season and finished among the tournament’s leading run-scorers with a strike rate above 160. He also registered three scores above 90 in his last four innings.

Australia are yet to officially announce a replacement, although Cooper Connolly remains a potential candidate to join the squad.

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The Pakistan and Bangladesh tours are also expected to play a major role in Australia’s long-term ODI planning ahead of the 2027 World Cup. Team management is reportedly considering new middle-order roles, including pushing Cameron Green further down the batting order as they continue searching for a long-term replacement for Glenn Maxwell in the 50-over format.

Australia ODI Squad For Pakistan Series

Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis (capt), Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Riley Meredith, Ollie Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Matthew Short, Billy Stanlake and Adam Zampa.