This is a list of the people who have been the official Australian captains in Tests, ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals cricket teams.
Australia participated in the first Test match in cricket in 1877, the first One Day International in 1971 (both against England) and the first Twenty20 international in 2005 (against New Zealand). In addition to officially sanctioned international matches and tours organised by the Australian Cricket Board (now known as Cricket Australia), there have been two major rebel Australian sides. In the 1970s many of Australia's leading players signed up for Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket and played in a number of SuperTests against other international sides. Then in the mid-1980s there were two rebel Australian tours to South Africa, which was at that time banned from official competition because of the apartheid regime then in force there. The captains of those Australian sides are also listed below.
Men's cricket
Test match captains
This is a list of cricketers who have captained the Australian cricket team for at least one Test match (not including vice-captains and other players who have deputised on the field for any period of time during a match where the captain has been unable to play). Where a player has a dagger (†) next to a Test match series in which he captained at least one Test, that denotes that player deputised for the appointed captain or were appointed by the home authority for a minor proportion in a series. The dagger classification follows that adopted by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack.
The table of results is complete up to the fifth Test against England in July 2023.
1 In 1945, just after the Second World War had ended in Europe, Warrant Officer Lindsay Hassett (as he then was) captained the Australian Services in five "Victory Tests" against England. The series was tied two-all with one draw. The "Victory Tests" have not, however, been granted full Test status.
2 Includes one tie
3 In 1971–72, the planned tour to Australia by South Africa was cancelled. A Rest of the World XI toured Australia in its place and played five "Tests". Ian Chappell captained Australia in all of them. The World XI won two "Tests", Australia one, with two being drawn. The matches have retrospectively been denied Test status.
5Steve Smith was removed as Australian captain during the third Test of the 2017–18 tour of South Africa due to a ball-tampering scandal. His vice-captain, David Warner was also stood down. Tim Paine acted as Australian captain for the remainder of the Test match.[1] Smith and Warner were subsequently suspended following an investigation, and Paine was confirmed as captain for the Fourth (and final) Test.[2]
6Pat Cummins was withdrawn from the Test squad after being deemed a close contact of a person who received a positive COVID-19 test. Vice-captain Steve Smith acted as Australian captain in his place.[3]
John Maclean – under Graham Yallop from December 1978 to January 1979, when he was dropped
Andrew Hilditch – under Graham Yallop from March to September 1979
Andrew Hilditch – retained the position under Kim Hughes from September to November 1979, when he was dropped
Kim Hughes – under Greg Chappell from November 1979 to June 1981, then stood in as captain when Chappell was unavailable for selection
Rod Marsh – resumed the position under Kim Hughes from June to September 1981, when he was made to step aside for Kim Hughes
Kim Hughes – resumed the position under Greg Chappell from November 1981 to March 1982, then stood in as captain when Chappell was unavailable for selection
Allan Border – under Kim Hughes from March to October 1982, when he was made to step aside for Kim Hughes
Kim Hughes – resumed the position under Greg Chappell from October 1982 to April 1983, when he was unavailable for selection
David Hookes – resumed the position under Greg Chappell from April to November 1983, when he was dropped
Greg Chappell – resumed the position under Kim Hughes from November 1983 to January 1984, when he retired
Allan Border – resumed the position under Kim Hughes from March to December 1984, then promoted to captain
Adam Gilchrist – resumed the position under Steve Waugh from December 2000 to August 2001, then stood in as captain when Waugh was injured
Ricky Ponting – resumed the position under Adam Gilchrist (when Steve Waugh was injured) for one Test in August 2001
Adam Gilchrist – resumed the position under Steve Waugh from August 2001 to April 2003, when he was made to step aside for Ricky Ponting[8]
Ricky Ponting – resumed the position under Steve Waugh from April 2003 to March 2004, then promoted to captain
Adam Gilchrist – resumed the position under Ricky Ponting from March to October 2004, then stood in as captain when Ponting was injured[9]
Matthew Hayden – under Adam Gilchrist (when Ricky Ponting was injured) for three Tests in October 2004
Adam Gilchrist – resumed the position under Ricky Ponting from November 2004 to January 2008, when he retired
Michael Hussey – under Ricky Ponting for one Test in May 2008, when Michael Clarke was injured
Michael Clarke – under Ricky Ponting from May 2008[10] to March 2011, then promoted to captain
Shane Watson – under Michael Clarke, from March 2011[11] to April 2013, deputised as captain for one Test and later resigned from the position
Brad Haddin – under Michael Clarke from April 2013 to December 2014
Brad Haddin – retained the position under Steve Smith (when Michael Clarke was injured) from December 2014 to January 2015, when he was made to step aside for Steve Smith[12]
Steve Smith – under Michael Clarke from January 2015[12] to August 2015, then promoted to captain
Josh Hazlewood (jointly with Mitchell Marsh) – under Tim Paine from September 2018[15] to January 2019, when he was injured[16]
Mitchell Marsh (jointly with Josh Hazlewood) – under Tim Paine from September 2018[15] to January 2019, when he was dropped
Travis Head (jointly with Pat Cummins) – under Tim Paine from January 2019 to November 2020,[17] dropped at one point, re-selected[18] and later sacked from the position[19]
Pat Cummins (jointly with Travis Head until November 2020) – under Tim Paine from January 2019[17] to November 2021, then promoted to captain[20]
Steve Smith – resumed the position under Pat Cummins from November[20] to December 2021, then stood in as captain when Cummins was unavailable for selection[21]
Travis Head – resumed the position under Steve Smith (when Pat Cummins was unavailable) for one Test in December 2021[21]
Steve Smith – resumed the position under Pat Cummins from December 2021 to December 2022, then stood in as captain when Cummins was injured[22]
Alex Carey – under Steve Smith (when Pat Cummins was injured) for one Test in December 2022
Steve Smith – resumed the position under Pat Cummins from December 2022 to March 2023, then stood in as captain when Cummins was unavailable
Alex Carey – resumed the position under Steve Smith (when Pat Cummins was unavailable) in March 2023
Steve Smith – resumed the position under Pat Cummins since March 2023
6Ian Chappell also captained the Australians against a Rest of the World XI in three one-day matches in 1971/2. The series was tied one-all, with one match abandoned without a ball being bowled. These games are not now recognised as official ODIs.
Ricky Ponting was Australia's first captain in Twenty20 Internationals. On occasions when Ponting was unavailable, vice-captain Adam Gilchrist filled the role. In December 2007, Ponting was rested from the team to give the younger players exposure. Although vice-captain Gilchrist was in the team, 26-year-old Michael Clarke was selected as captain. Ponting called him the "obvious choice" and Clarke had been predicted to be the next full-time captain of Australia once Ponting stepped down from the captaincy.[23] With Gilchrist's retirement from all forms of representative cricket at the end of the 2007–08 season, Clarke was promoted to the regular vice-captain's position.[24] Thereafter, Cameron White was promoted as the captain, but George Bailey has taken over the captaincy in the two match series against India.[25]
Captains of World Series Cricket teams (during the Packer split) and of the Rebel Australian XI to visit apartheid South Africa in 1985–86 are as follows:
World Series Cricket 1977–78 and 1978–79
Ian Chappell captained the WSC Australians in five Supertests in 1977–78, winning one and losing four. His brother Greg Chappell took over for a sixth Supertest, which the WSC Australians won. In 1978–79 in Australia Ian Chappell captained the WSC Australians in four Supertests, winning one, losing two and drawing the other one. In the same season in the West Indies, Ian Chappell went on to captain in five Supertests, winning one, losing one and drawing three.
Kim Hughes captained a Rebel Australian XI to South Africa in 1985–86. He captained his Australian XI in 3 Rebel "Tests", losing one of them and drawing the other two. He also captained in another rebel tour in 1986–87 in 4 Rebel "Tests", losing one of them and drawing the other three.
Women's cricket
Test match captains
This is a list of cricketers who have captained the Australian women's cricket team for at least one women's Test match (not including vice-captains and other players who have deputised on the field for any period of time during a match where the captain has been unable to play). Where a player has a dagger (†) next to a Test match series in which she captained at least one Test, that denotes that player deputised for the appointed captain or were appointed by the home authority for a minor proportion in a series.
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(December 2023)
Test match captains
This is a list of cricketers who have captained the Australia Under-19 cricket team for at least one match. Where a player has a dagger (†) next to a Test match series in which he captained at least one Test, that denotes that player was captain for a minor proportion in a series.
The table of results is complete to the one Test against Sri Lanka in 2019.
^"Times Sport". The Canberra Times. Vol. 59, no. 17, 997. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 6 January 1985. p. 6 (SPORT). Retrieved 5 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.