‘While he is not playing, I am pretty happy to captain Australia in ODIs’ – Mitchell Marsh on Pat Cummins’ absence in 1st ODI vs South Africa

Mitchell Marsh will captain Australia in the opening match of a three-ODI series against South Africa at Kingsmead in Durban on September 24, 2026. Regular captain Pat Cummins arrived late and is managing his workload alongside fellow fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood ahead of the upcoming Test series.

Cummins has appeared in only two ODIs since the 2023 World Cup title. Both sides are also dealing with several player absences, as South Africa is missing Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Aiden Markram, while Australia is without the injured Cameron Green.