Mitchell Marsh To Be Out Of PAK vs AUS ODIs, LSG Player To Captain Australia

Mitchell Marsh (Source: AFP)

Australia have suffered a major setback ahead of their upcoming ODI series against Pakistan, with captain Mitchell Marsh likely to miss at least the opening matches due to injury concerns and fatigue.

The Australian all-rounder is reportedly struggling with an ankle niggle after a hectic IPL 2026 season. His fitness and injury concerns have raised doubts over his participation in the three-match series.

Australia Tour Of Pakistan 2026 Schedule

Australia are scheduled to tour Pakistan later this month for a limited-overs series. According to the schedule, the Australian team have arrived and has started preparing for the much-awaited ODI series.2

The first ODI will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on May 30. The remaining two matches will be hosted at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on June 2 and June 4, respectively.

Josh Inglis to lead Australia in the absence of Mitchell Marsh

With Mitchell Marsh doubtful, Pat Cummins and Travis Head unavailable because of their involvement with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL playoffs, Australia may have to rely on wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis to lead the side (according to CodeSports).

Josh Inglis, who represented Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2026, has previously captained Australia in an ODI against Pakistan in 2024.

Also Read: Mitchell Marsh Run Out For 96; Joins Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle Among Others

It is important to note that Inglis is available for the series as his IPL franchise (LSG) has already been eliminated from the IPL 2026 playoffs.

However, Alex Carey is another leadership option in the squad. However, Inglis is currently considered the frontrunner to captain a depleted Australian side in the opening ODI at Rawalpindi.

Mitchell Marsh's current form in IPL 2026

Mitchell Marsh had an outstanding IPL 2026 season for LSG. Even though LSG struggled as a team and finished at the bottom of the points table, Marsh consistently delivered strong performances throughout the league stage.

The star player played in 13 matches and scored 563 runs at an average of 43.30 and a strike rate of 163.18.

One of the biggest reasons behind Marsh’s success in IPL 2026 was his fearless batting approach. He attacked both fast bowlers and spinners confidently. 

Will Australia miss Mitchell Marsh? Sakshi's opinion on this

In my opinion, Mitchell Marsh's absence from the opening matches of the Pakistan ODI series would be a huge setback for Australia, especially given the form he showed during IPL 2026.

He looked confident, aggressive, and completely in control with the bat throughout the tournament. At the same time, his possible absence will also give players like Josh Inglis a big opportunity to step up as both a batter and a leader. 

Australia may look slightly inexperienced without senior names like Marsh, Pat Cummins, and Travis Head, but the series could help the team test its bench strength.

Also Read: Shreyas Iyer’s Sister Shresta Iyer Unleashes Fury After PBKS Exit From IPL 2026