Sydney: Rising star Josh Inglis has beaten out a hot field and won the race to be Australia's stand-in captain during their upcoming T20I series at home against Pakistan.
The in-form wicket-keeper-batter won the nod ahead of experienced white-ball campaigners Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis and will even skipper the side during the final match of the three-game ODI series against Pakistan as Australia's Test stars prioritise their preparations for the upcoming series with India.
Inglis played a crucial role in Australia's successful ICC Men's Cricket World Cup campaign in India last year and the recent retirement of veteran keeper Matthew Wade means the 29-year-old is first choice behind the stumps in both white-ball formats.
"Josh is an integral member of the ODI and T20I teams and a highly respected player on and off the field," selection chair George Bailey said on Wednesday.
"He has led Australia A previously and will bring strong tactical nous and a positive approach to the role," Bailey said.
"Josh will receive great support from the likes of Matt Short and Adam Zampa, along with senior players including Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis," he said.
The promotion of Inglis allows Test skipper Pat Cummins and fellow red-ball stars Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith to sit out the final match of the ongoing ODI series against Pakistan, with pacers Spencer Johnson and Xavier Bartlett drafted into the squad alongside keeper-batter Josh Phillipe and another quick Lance Morris, an ICC report said.
Australia claimed the opening match of the three-game ODI series against Pakistan by two wickets at the MCG, with the series now switching to Adelaide (November 8) and Perth (November 10) for the final two contests.
The three-game T20I series will then be held between November 14-18 in Brisbane, Sydney and Hobart.
Australia ODI squad: Pat Cummins (c - first two matches), Josh Inglis, (c - third match), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett (third match only), Cooper Connolly, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood (second match only), Spencer Johnson (third match only), Marnus Labuschagne (first two matches only), Glenn Maxwell, Lance Morris, Josh Philippe (third match only), Matthew Short, Steve Smith (first two matches only), Mitchell Starc (first two matches only), Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
Australia T20I squad: Josh Inglis (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Spencer Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.