Australia women’s cricket team have named Sophie Molineux as their new all-format captain, days after Alyssa Healy announced her decision to retire.
The 28-year-old spin-bowling allrounder will take charge of the T20 side when Australia hosts India next month, before leading the team in one-day internationals and Tests during the tour of the Caribbean in March. Molineux replaces Healy, who will step away from international cricket in March after taking over the captaincy in 2023 from Meg Lanning.
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“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.
Vice-captains retained
Tahlia McGrath, who had previously filled in for Healy and was considered a strong candidate for the role, will continue as vice-captain alongside Ashleigh Gardner.
Australia currently sit at the top of the ICC rankings in both ODI and T20 formats. Molineux, a left-handed batter and left-arm spinner, has been a key figure in Australian cricket, though her international career was disrupted by foot and knee injuries that sidelined her for more than two years from 2021. She returned to the national side against Bangladesh in 2024 but later missed the 2024–25 Ashes due to another knee issue.
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Sophie Molineux stats
Molineux made her international debut in a T20I against India in March 2018 and went on to help Australia win the T20 World Cup later that year. Within little more than a year, she earned ODI and Test caps as well. She was also part of the team that lifted the 2020 T20 World Cup on home soil, where she dismissed Smriti Mandhana in the final at the MCG.
At the domestic level, Molineux led the Melbourne Renegades to their first Women’s Big Bash League title in 2024 and has captained the Victoria women’s cricket team since 2022.
