Australia's white-ball captain Mitchell Marsh has confirmed he will lead the team at the 2026 T20 World Cup in India, ruling out Pat Cummins from captaincy duties in the shortest format. The announcement followed the rain-affected final T20I against India in Brisbane, which was abandoned after just 4.5 overs, handing India a 2-1 series victory. Marsh expressed satisfaction with his squad's adaptability despite the loss, marking Australia's fourth bilateral T20I series defeat since 2022, with three coming against India. Meanwhile, Cummins remains focused on Test cricket as he recovers from a back injury. He will miss the opening Ashes Test in Perth on November 21 but aims to return for the second Test at the Gabba. Marsh's captaincy has strengthened since leading Australia at the 2024 T20 World Cup, with Cummins concentrating on red-ball and ODI leadership roles.
Marsh Confirms T20 World Cup Leadership Role
When questioned about captaincy plans for the T20 World Cup, Mitchell Marsh clearly stated he would remain in charge of the shortest format, while Pat Cummins will continue leading in Tests and ODIs. Despite the series loss to India, Marsh highlighted positive takeaways from the campaign. He praised the team's adaptability and flexibility in a World Cup year, noting that players stepping in performed their roles well. The skipper acknowledged India's superior performance when crucial and congratulated them on the series win. Marsh emphasized that Australia's full-strength squad is now fairly settled, with players gaining valuable experience through the Big Bash League ahead of the major tournament in India.
Source: Link