Ex-RCB star appointed all-format Australia captain ahead of T20 World Cup 2026 in stunning move

In a bold move, Cricket Australia has named Sophie Molineux as the all-format skipper ahead of the series against India. In the recent past, Australian cricket legend Alyssa Healy announced her retirement, with the India series being her last, so the cricket board had to find a new skipper who could lead the team from the front.

Sophie Molineux, a spin-bowling all-rounder, will start a new chapter of the Australia women's cricket team. She will be jointly assisted by Ashleigh Gardner and Tahlia McGrath, two vice-captains for the T20I team.

Australia vs India all-format series from February 2026

From February 15 to March 9, Australia will face India in an all-format series, including a Test match. The Test match will be conducted after a 3-match T20I series and a 3-match ODI series.

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For his home series, the Australian cricket board announced their squads for all of the formats, with Alyssa Healy as the captain in ODI and Tests. In these two formats, Healy will be assisted by her deputy, Molineux.

Through the contest, Nicola Carey will mark her return in the white ball format, while 19-year-old seamer Lucy Hamilton could make her Test debut against India. Phoebe Litchfield, who missed the remainder of the Women's Premier League season with a quad injury, is also named in all three squads.

Selectors had to make some hard calls

The selectors made a tough call by not including leg-spinner Alana King in the T20I team. World Cup squad members Megan Schutt, Grace Harris, and Heather Graham are not named for the ODI series as well.

"It's a real honor to be named Australian captain and something I'm incredibly proud of, especially following on from Alyssa, who's had such a huge impact on this team and the game," Molineux said in a statement as she is considered the successor of Alyssa Healy.

National selector Shawn Flegler on Thursday praised Molineux's leadership qualities. Flegler also did not forget to mention that the skipper had a history of dealing with injuries and multiple setbacks.

"Sophie is highly respected within Australian cricket, and her resilience, composure, and proven domestic leadership make her the right person to lead the team into a new era. We will continue to manage Sophie’s workload, prioritizing key tournaments and major international series following injury challenges in recent seasons," Flegler said in an official statement.

Australia squads for India series

T20I squad: Sophie Molineux (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham.

ODI squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Sophie Molineux (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham.

Test squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Sophie Molineux (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham.

Read More: Sophie Molineux set to replace Alyssa Healy as Australia Women’s all-format captain