Mitchell Marsh will miss Australia’s three-match ODI tour of Pakistan after another flare-up in his troublesome right ankle. The 34-year-old had flown home from the IPL on 20 May and was due to re-join the squad in Rawalpindi this weekend, but medical staff advised against any long-haul travel. His availability for the following tour of Bangladesh, beginning 9 June, is still up in the air.
With Pat Cummins and Travis Head both tied up in the IPL play-offs, and no Josh Hazlewood or Mitchell Starc on this trip, selectors are expected to hand the captaincy to wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis. He led a makeshift side on the short visit to Pakistan in late 2024 and, on paper at least, is next in line. Alex Carey – who captained three ODIs in the Caribbean back in 2021 – is another option, but team management appear keen to keep his focus on batting and glovework.
The squad that touched down in Islamabad on Sunday is already light on big names. Cooper Connolly, Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis were originally omitted because their IPL franchises looked certain for the knock-out rounds. A late collapse left those teams fifth, yet no replacements were confirmed when Marsh’s withdrawal became official on Monday morning. Connolly, now back in Perth, is the most likely to receive a late call-up.
Losing Marsh is a double blow. He and Head have been pencilled in as Australia’s one-day opening pair heading towards next year’s World Cup. With Head unavailable here, Marsh’s form – 111, 10, 90, 96 in his last four IPL knocks – would have offered welcome stability. Instead, selectors must reshuffle again. Matt Short was already set to cover Head; now a second stand-in opener is required. Carey could move up, something he has not done since 2019, which would in turn open a middle-order place for 19-year-old Ollie Peake.
Australia coach Andrew McDonald is relaxed, at least publicly, about the continual changes. He noted before departure that he wanted to experiment anyway, particularly with Cameron Green’s batting position as the search begins for a long-term replacement for Glenn Maxwell in this format. Whether those plans survive the latest disruption remains to be seen.
Australia’s schedule
30 May – 1st ODI v Pakistan, Rawalpindi
2 June – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi
4 June – 3rd ODI, Rawalpindi
9 June – 1st ODI v Bangladesh, Mirpur
12 June – 2nd ODI, Mirpur
15 June – 3rd ODI, Mirpur
17–22 June – three T20Is v Bangladesh, Chattogram & Mirpur
Squad (Pakistan): Josh Inglis (c, wk), Matt Short, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Ollie Peake, Aaron Hardie, Nathan Ellis, Lance Morris, Tanveer Sangha, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson. (Mitchell Marsh – withdrawn)
Key talking points
• Fourth-choice leader: If Inglis takes charge, Australia will have used four different ODI captains inside 18 months.
• Opening conundrum: No Marsh, no Head. Short plus one – but who?
• Bowling depth: With Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins absent, Australia rely on Ellis, Morris and Johnson to manage the powerplay and death overs.
• Green’s role: earmarked for the middle order, yet he may still be required up top if another reshuffle occurs.
What they said
“We’d like to see Cam get an extended run further down the list, add another string to his bow, if you like.” – Andrew McDonald, before Marsh’s injury was confirmed.
Outlook
This tour was always about testing bench strength while the IPL overlapped. Marsh’s late withdrawal turns that gentle experiment into something closer to a live-fire drill. Bangladesh follows almost immediately, so medical staff will monitor him closely over the next week. For now, Josh Inglis prepares to lead a side short on caps but not, Australia hope, on opportunity.
