The Australian women’s cricket team is set for a major transition, with the left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux having been named as all-format captain.

The 28-year-old will be taking over the reins from Alyssa Healy, who revealed her retirement decision from international cricket following the India Women’s tour of Australia 2026.

Since it’s only four months out from the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in the UK, she excused herself from the T20 leg of the series as well to allow Australia and her replacement more time to settle in.

Sophie Molineux has emerged as the frontrunner ahead of Tahlia McGrath. Ash Gardner has been named as the second vice-captain alongside McGrath.

“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.”

The victorian spinner is a left-field choice given she has not played either T20I or Test cricket since 2024 due her lastest knee injury and she was managed through last year’s ODI World Cup on return.

She also missed recent edition of the Melbourne Renegades captain, leading the club to a drought breaking title in 2024-25 is a major reason 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 February.

Molineux will then take charge of all three formats on Australia’s multi-format tour of the carribean which includes a test match before preparing for the T20 World Cup in June.

National selector Shawn Flegler said that Sophie 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.”