Mitchell Marsh Doubtful for Pakistan ODIs, Josh Inglis Emerges as Surprise Australia Captain Option

Australia’s tour of Pakistan has not even begun, yet the visitors are already dealing with a major captaincy concern. With regular skipper Pat Cummins unavailable and senior stars like Josh Hazlewood and Travis Head also missing, Mitchell Marsh was expected to lead the side in the upcoming ODI series. However, fresh reports suggest that Marsh himself is now in serious doubt for the three-match assignment beginning on May 30.

According to CODE Sports, Cricket Australia has already begun exploring contingency plans in case Marsh is ruled out. If that happens, wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis could emerge as a surprise captaincy option. The situation highlights Australia’s depleted squad for the Pakistan tour, with several frontline players either rested or unavailable ahead of a packed international schedule.

Marsh had recently completed an outstanding IPL 2026 campaign with Lucknow Super Giants, where he was comfortably the franchise’s best batter despite the team finishing at the bottom of the table. Used solely as a batter due to workload management, Marsh scored 563 runs in 13 matches at an average of 43.30 and a strike rate of 163.18, including a stunning 111 off 56 balls against RCB — the fastest century in LSG history. He also played memorable knocks of 90 against CSK and 96 against Rajasthan Royals.

Interestingly, Marsh had already left the IPL before LSG’s final league match against Punjab Kings to join Australia’s squad in Pakistan. At the time, his departure appeared to be a routine switch to national duty. However, his participation is now uncertain, though Cricket Australia has yet to officially reveal the exact reason behind the concern or provide an injury update.

If Marsh is unavailable, Josh Inglis appears the frontrunner to take over leadership duties. The wicketkeeper-batter has rapidly grown into one of Australia’s most trusted white-ball players and has already captained the side in patches. Inglis first led Australia during a white-ball series against Pakistan in November 2024 and also captained the team in a T20I series when Cummins and Marsh were rested. He too enjoyed a productive IPL 2026 season with LSG, scoring 266 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 186.01.

Australia’s squad for the Pakistan ODIs already has a second-string feel, with Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Travis Head all absent. This has opened opportunities for fringe and emerging players like Ollie Peake and Liam Scott, while Cameron Green also returns to the setup. Whether Marsh recovers in time or Inglis takes charge, Australia head into the series with plenty of uncertainty surrounding the squad.

Australia ODI series vs Pakistan schedule