Mitchell Marsh, Australia’s T20I captain, has stated that Pat Cummins will not lead the side at the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India. Marsh’s discovery came after the fifth and final T20I against India in Brisbane was called off owing to continuous rain, giving India a 2-1 series victory.
The fifth T20I at the Gabba was called off after only 4.5 overs, with India scoring 52 without loss thanks to a strong start from Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma. Despite Australia’s hopes of tying the series, inclement weather forced an early halt to proceedings, resulting in yet another bilateral T20I loss for the hosts. This was Australia’s fourth series loss since 2022, with three of them coming against India. Speaking about the outcome, Marsh remained optimistic 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 Pat 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.
Pat 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.
India
