Victorian all-rounder Sophie Molineux has been elevated ahead of existing deputy Tahlia McGrath and is set to take the reins as Australia’s new women’s cricket captain in all three formats when Alyssa Healy retires following the upcoming Test and ODI series against India.
Cricket Australia confirmed Molineux, 28, will captain the side for the first time during the three match T20 series against India beginning on February 15 with Tahlia McGrath and Ash Gardner announced as joint vice-captains.
“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 in a statement.
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“We’ve got a really strong group with plenty of natural leaders … 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,” she added.
A left-arm orthodox bowling all-rounder, Molineux has played 52 matches for Australia since making her T20 and ODI international debuts in 2018—and playing her first Test a year later.
Molineux was chosen ahead of other strong candidates including McGrath, Gardner, Phoebe Litchfield and Annabel Sutherland, despite struggling with foot and knee injuries at times—something acknowledged by Cricket Australia Head of Performance and National Selector, Shawn Flegler.
“Sophie is highly respected within Australian cricket, and her resilience, composure and proven domestic leadership makes her the right person to lead the team into a new era,” Flegler said.
“We will continue to manage Sophie’s workload, prioritising key tournaments and major international series following injury challenges in recent seasons.”
Molineux has captained the Melbourne Renegades in the WBBL since 2021, and Victoria since 2022.
Following the upcoming home India series, Molineux will lead Australia across all three formats for Australia’s March tour of the West Indies.