Mitchell Marsh Ruled Out Of Pakistan ODIs As Australia Name Cooper Connolly Replacement

Australia have suffered a big blow before the Pakistan ODI series after Mitchell Marsh was ruled out with an ankle injury, with Cooper Connolly named as his replacement.

Australia have been forced into a significant squad change ahead of their ODI series against Pakistan after star all-rounder Mitchell Marsh was ruled out due to an ankle injury. Cricket Australia confirmed that young all-rounder Cooper Connolly has been drafted into the squad as Marsh’s replacement for the upcoming three-match series.

The ODI series is set to begin on May 30 in Rawalpindi before the remaining two fixtures move to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on June 2 and June 4 respectively. In Marsh’s absence, wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis will captain the Australian side during the tour.

Mitchell Marsh Misses Tour After IPL 2026 Campaign

Mitchell Marsh recently returned to Australia after concluding his IPL 2026 season with Lucknow Super Giants. The experienced all-rounder had already missed LSG’s final league match against Punjab Kings and earlier travelled home following the clash against Rajasthan Royals on May 19.

Although Marsh was initially expected to lead Australia during the Pakistan tour, concerns surrounding his ankle injury ultimately ruled him out of the series.

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Cricket Australia are reportedly being cautious with Marsh’s recovery due to his previous ankle-related fitness issues. His participation in Australia’s upcoming Bangladesh tour also remains uncertain at this stage.

Australia are scheduled to play three ODIs in Dhaka from June 9 before travelling to Chattogram for a three-match T20I series starting on June 17.

Cooper Connolly Earns Opportunity After Strong IPL Season

Cooper Connolly has now linked up with the Australian squad after completing his IPL commitments with Punjab Kings. PBKS narrowly missed out on a playoff berth after finishing fifth on the points table with 15 points from 14 matches.

The youngster arrives in Pakistan following an impressive IPL 2026 campaign in which he scored 491 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 163.12. His season included one century and two half-centuries, highlighting his consistency in the middle order.

Australia Return To Pakistan For ODI Assignment

Apart from his batting contributions, Connolly has also established himself as a useful bowling option. Since making his ODI debut against England in 2024, he has featured in eight ODIs, scoring 94 runs at an average of 31.33 while also taking six wickets at an economy rate of 5.26.

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Interestingly, Connolly had already been selected for Australia’s Bangladesh ODI squad, and his inclusion for the Pakistan tour provides another valuable chance to cement his place in the national setup.

The upcoming series also marks Australia’s first bilateral ODI assignment in Pakistan since the 2022 tour, when the hosts secured a 2-1 series victory. Earlier in 2026, Pakistan also dominated Australia 3-0 in a T20I series played in Lahore.