Sophie Molineux has been named the new all-format captain of the Australian women’s team, taking over from Alyssa Healy.
Sophie will begin her tenure as Australia’s captain with a multi-format home series against India, starting on February 15.
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Cricket Australia confirmed Molineux’s appointment on Thursday, giving her the responsibility of leading the national women’s team.
"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," she added.
With the T20 Women’s World Cup 2026 in June, the 28-year-old will try to get used to her new role quickly.
Tahlia McGrath will stay on as Australia’s vice-captain, with all-rounder Ash Gardner joining her to support Molineux.
"Sophie is highly respected within Australian cricket, and her resilience, composure and proven domestic leadership makes her the right person to lead the team into a new era," Australia selector Shawn Flegler said.
"We will continue to manage Sophie's workload, prioritising key tournaments and major international series following injury challenges in recent seasons," Flegler added.
"Tahlia McGrath remains vice-captain, recognising her significant leadership contribution under Alyssa Healy ... Ash Gardner has been elevated to vice-captain alongside Tahlia, strengthening the team's leadership group.
"Ash and Tahlia provide complementary skills in support of Sophie and are also both capable of leading the team as stand-in captain if required."
Molineux has shown her leadership by captaining her state team, Victoria, and the Melbourne Renegades in the Women’s Big Bash League.
She has also faced several injuries during her career. Although she started playing for Australia at 16, foot and knee injuries kept her out of the national team for more than two years. She missed the 2022 Ashes series, the Commonwealth Games, and the ODI World Cup. She was injured again during the 2025 Ashes series. Despite these setbacks, Molineux has worked her way back and earned her place in the team.
