Josh Inglis named as the temporary captain for the white-ball series against Pakistan

Josh Inglis will assume the captaincy role following the conclusion of the second ODI at Adelaide and will lead the Men in Yellow in the third ODI as well as the forthcoming T20I series against Pakistan which is expected to commence on November 14. He will lead the side in the absence of premium stalwarts such as Mitch Marsh and Travis Head who are both unavailable due to paternity leave and Test preparation. 

In addition, Australia's Test and ODI skipper Pat Cummins and vice-captain Steve Smith will also not be available to feature for the remainder of the series in order to prepare for the grueling Border Gavaskar Test series. 

Inglis to lead a whole new-look Australia squad 

Following his captaincy appointment, Inglis becomes the 14th T20I captain and the 30th ODI captain to lead Australia. He will have his work cut out as his side will be without the services of experienced Cummins, Smith, Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Marnus Labuschagne, all of whom will be away to prepare for the much-awaited Border Gavaskar Test series. 

The squad will feature some fresh faces in the form of Xavier Bartlett, Spencer Johnson, and Josh Philippe who have made limited yet impactful international appearances for Australia in recent times. Moreover, Lance Morris has also been included as a cover for Josh Hazlewood and is likely to feature in the last ODI of the three-match series. 

Dissecting Inglis' captaincy background

Unlike his teammates Matt Short, Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa, and Nathan Ellis, Inglis does not have any credible captaincy experience under his belt. The 29-year-old does not have any captaincy experience at the BBL level unlike some of his fellow teammates. But the flamboyant wicket-keeper batter is widely renowned for his leadership qualities and his tactical instinct at the domestic level.  

Inglis served as the vice-captain for the Perth Scorchers during the previous season and played a significant role within their leadership team. He was a leading candidate to assume the captaincy following Ashton Turner's season-ending injury. However, Aaron Hardie was ultimately selected for the position. This decision was primarily influenced by a preference to avoid appointing a wicketkeeper as captain, particularly given the time constraints faced by the younger bowlers.

In the ongoing three-match ODI series, Australia have taken an early 1-0 lead following a nervy win at the MCG. The hosts will once again lock horns with the visitors in the second ODI at Adelaide where they will look to wrap up the series in one of the most clinical ways possible. 

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