Josh Inglis leads Australia in third ODI T20 series against Pakistan – Sports

MELBOURNE: Josh Inglis will step in as captain for Pat Cummins and Mitchell Marsh in Australia’s third One-Day International against Pakistan and the following T20 series.

The selectors promoted wicket-keeper and batsman Inglis ahead of senior players such as Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa and Marcus Stoinis.

ODI skipper Cummins will be rested for the third and final one-day contest in Perth on Sunday along with Test regulars Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith.

T20 captain Marsh is on paternity leave.

“Josh is an integral part of the ODI and T20I teams and a highly valued player on and off the field,” selector George Bailey said in a statement on Wednesday. “He has previously managed Australia’s senior national team and will bring strong tactical skills and a positive approach to the role.”

None of Australia’s Test players will feature in the three-match T20 series starting November 14 at the Gabba in Brisbane, as they prepare for the five-Test series against India starting November 22 in Perth.

Australia took a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series with a two-wicket win over Mohammad Rizwan’s Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday.

The hosts will look to seal the series with a win in the second game at Adelaide Oval on Friday.

The selectors have recalled pacer Hazlewood for the second ODI after he missed the MCG game to play Sheffield Shield cricket.

Pace bowlers Xavier Bartlett and Spencer Johnson and wicket-keeper-batsman Josh Philippe have been added to the squad for the third ODI.

Australia are yet to decide on a Test opener to replace David Warner, who has retired from international cricket, but Bailey hinted at the top contenders when he announced the batting order for Australia ‘A’ vs India ‘A’ second match .

Australia ‘A’ captain Nathan McSweeney has been promoted to join 14-Test batsman Marcus Harris in opening the four-day match, which begins on Thursday at the MCG, after scoring an unbeaten 39 and an unbeaten 88 in the first game in Mackay.

Youngster Sam Konstas was demoted to number four after managing a total of 16 runs in Mackay, while former Test opener Cameron Bancroft remains at number three after matching Konstas’ performance with the bat.

South Australia captain McSweeney is not an opener specialist, but he was in good form at the start of the Sheffield Shield, scoring a century and two fifties in two games in the top-flight domestic competition.

Meanwhile, India will send batters KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel to Australia early so that they can warm up ahead of the India ‘A’ Test series, Indian media reported.

Rohit Sharma’s India were whitewashed 3-0 by New Zealand, the first time they had been defeated in a three-match Test series on home soil.

Published in Dawn, November 7, 2024