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Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out of Australia's three-match ODI series in Pakistan beginning May 30 with an ankle injury sustained during his IPL stint with Lucknow Super Giants. He missed LSG's final league game against Punjab Kings on May 23 and has remained in Perth for assessment and treatment.

Josh Inglis will captain Australia in his absence. No replacement has yet been named for the Pakistan tour and Marsh's availability for the Bangladesh white-ball series beginning June 9 remains uncertain with Cricket Australia saying his participation will be determined in due course.

Mitchell Marsh' injury and what it means for Australia's top order

Marsh's ankle has been a recurring concern throughout his career and the decision to keep him in Perth rather than travel to Pakistan reflects the seriousness with which CA are treating the latest setback.

He was outstanding in the second half of the IPL finishing as LSG's leading run-scorer with 563 runs across the tournament including scores of 111, 10, 90 and 96 in his last four innings. He struck at 163.18 and hit the third-most sixes in the competition. That form made his absence at the top of the Australian ODI order an even more significant blow heading into a Pakistan series where combinations for the 2027 World Cup are being tested.

Marsh and Travis Head are locked in as Australia's first-choice ODI opening partnership heading toward the World Cup. Head is also absent for the Pakistan series due to his involvement in the IPL playoffs.

Matt Short was likely to partner Marsh at the top of the order in Head's absence but with Marsh now also gone Australia need a second stand-in opener for Rawalpindi. Alex Carey has not opened since 2019 and is one option being considered. Nineteen-year-old newcomer Ollie Peake could debut in the middle order if Carey is promoted to open alongside Short.

Australia's depleted touring party and the captaincy chain

Australia arrive in Pakistan as one of the most under-strength sides they have fielded in recent memory. Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc are all absent with the first three involved in the IPL playoffs. Marsh's injury makes him the fourth major absentee. Inglis as fourth-choice captain has led Australia in one ODI and three T20Is all against Pakistan in November 2024.

Should Inglis miss any game Alex Carey captained Australia in three ODIs in the Caribbean in 2021 and provides a backup leadership option. Cooper Connolly, Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis were originally left out of the Pakistan squad in expectation of being involved in the IPL playoffs with Punjab Kings but PBKS failed to qualify and there is a chance Connolly could be flown to Pakistan early as a potential replacement for Marsh given his availability.

The Bangladesh tour and the bigger World Cup picture

Head, Connolly, Bartlett and Dwarshuis have all been named for the three-match ODI series in Bangladesh beginning June 9 in Mirpur followed by three T20Is from June 17. Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc have been rested from the Bangladesh tour as well.

Marsh is racing against time to be fit for Bangladesh with no confirmed timeline given. Australia coach Andrew McDonald has spoken about wanting to use the Pakistan and Bangladesh series to trial Cameron Green further down the order as Australia searches for a permanent replacement for Glenn Maxwell in the ODI middle order.

The 2027 ODI World Cup is the destination and every series between now and then carries the subtext of who is in the team when it matters most. Marsh missing Pakistan means Australia start that process one significant player short in Rawalpindi.

Australia ODI squad for Pakistan: Josh Inglis (c), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Riley Meredith, Ollie Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Matthew Short, Billy Stanlake, Adam Zampa.

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