Pat Cummins won't be Australia captain at T20 World Cup, confirms Mitchell Marsh

Australia’s T20I captain Mitchell Marsh confirmed that Pat Cummins will not be leading the team at the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 held in India. Marsh’s revelation came after the fifth and final T20I against India in Brisbane ended without a result due to persistent rain, handing India a 2-1 series win.

The fifth T20I at the Gabba was washed out after just 4.5 overs, with India's scorecard reading 52 without loss thanks to a solid start from Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma. Despite Australia’s hopes of squaring the series, poor weather brought an early end to proceedings, making it yet another bilateral T20I loss for the hosts. This was Australia’s fourth series loss since 2022, three of which have come against India. Speaking on the result, Marsh remained positive about Australia’s progress in a World Cup year. 

"Can't remember the last time we played and had so many rain interruptions. All in all a great series. India obviously won the games when it mattered, congratulations to them. There's a lot of learnings and positives to take forward. The adaptability and flexibility in our group and the squad we're trying to build in a World Cup year has been amazing. Guys have come in, done really well, played their roles, that's all we can ask for," he said at the post-match interview.

When asked about the T20 World Cup captaincy, Marsh confirmed he would continue as captain in the shortest format, while Cummins will lead in Test and ODIs.

"Our squad, at full strength, is a pretty settled team. The Big Bash is there for the guys to enjoy and hopefully the Scorchers win. Good question (who will captain in the T20 World Cup - him or Pat). I think I'll be there," he added.

Cummins, who has been sidelined due to a back injury, is currently ramping up his rehabilitation and will miss the first Ashes Test in Perth starting November 21. However, he is targeting a return in the second Test at the Gabba. The Australian skipper has been training at full intensity in the nets for New South Wales, but selectors have opted for caution to ensure he’s fully fit for the remainder of the Ashes series.

With Cummins out of the T20 setup for the foreseeable future, Marsh’s leadership has grown stronger. He captained Australia in the 2024 T20 World Cup and has continued in the role through the recent West Indies and India series. As for Cummins, his immediate priority remains red-ball cricket.