“It’s a real honour 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.
“We’ve got a really strong group with plenty of natural leaders, alongside a lot of exciting talent coming through, and I’m really looking forward to working together as we keep evolving and pushing ourselves to the next level, while staying true to the identity that makes this team so special.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the trust that’s been shown in me, and I’m excited to grow alongside this group of players and see what we can achieve together with Tahlia, Ash and the rest of the team.”
Molineux, the 28-year-old Victorian spinner, is a left-field choice given she has not played either T20I or Test cricket since 2024 due her latest knee injury and she was managed through last year’s Women’s ODI World Cup on return. She also did not play a full WBBL for Melbourne Renegades.
But her success as Renegades captain, leading the club to a drought-breaking title in 2024-25, is a major reason for her elevation to the national job. Molineux will lead Australia for the first time in the three T20Is against India at the start of the multi-format series in mid-February before the retiring Healy returns to captain the side in her farewell ODI series and final Test match at the WACA ground in early March.
Molineux will then take charge of all three formats on Australia’s multi-format tour of the Caribbean, which includes a Test match, before preparing to lead her country in the T20 World Cup in England in June.
National selector Shawn Flegler said that Molineux was the right choice as captain despite also noting that she would not play every game as they manage her workload due to her injury history.
“We will continue to manage Sophie’s workload, prioritising key tournaments and major international series following injury challenges in recent seasons,” Flegler said.
“Tahlia McGrath remains vice-captain, recognising her significant leadership contribution under Alyssa Healy. Tahlia has acted as stand-in captain on 16 occasions across formats, providing consistency and stability.
“Ash Gardner has been elevated to vice-captain alongside Tahlia, strengthening the team’s leadership group. Ash and Tahlia provide complimentary skills in support of Sophie and are also both capable of leading the team as stand-in captain if required.”
“Nicola has had an impressive past couple of years in domestic cricket and has also performed well overseas in both England and India,” Flegler said. “She is an experienced player, with a strong skill set, and she will get an opportunity to test those skills as we build towards the T20 World Cup.
“Lucy is an exciting left-arm fast bowler who offers something different with the ball. She has worked hard on her game over the past few years and is someone we believe has a big future, while also benefiting from being around the group at this level.”
Hamilton and King have been named in the Governor-General’s XI to face India in a warm-up T20 game in Sydney on February 13 before the series starts on February 15.
Australia T20 squad
Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux (capt), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt , Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
Australia ODI squad
Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Alyssa Healy (capt), Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
Australia Test squad
Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Alyssa Healy (capt), Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
Governor-General’s XI
Chloe Ainsworth, Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Alana King, Charli Knott (capt), Anika Learoyd, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Rachel Trenaman, Georgia Voll, Corporal Frances Whittaker (Australian Defence Force)
Alex Malcolm is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo