There is uncertainty about the Australian captaincy following the sex scandal which rocked Australia's ODI squad. Although Mitchell Starc has been cleared of any wrongdoing in the sex scandal, it could still affect the Ashes. It is therefore possible that he will be replaced. If Starc resigns, there are two likely candidates for the test captaincy: Aaron Finch and Alex Carey.
Cummins is expected to be australia's next ODI Captain
Ricky Ponting is a former captain for Australia's Test side, and ODI World Cup champion. He believes Cummins the right man to fill the position. The former captain was banned for two years after the Durban Test match. However, he has proven to be a strong candidate and is now considered the favourite to succeed him as Australia's next international captain. Aaron Finch, T20 captain, announced his retirement from ODI cricket.
Paine resigns after sexting scandal
After a scandal involving sexting, Tim Paine has resigned as Australian cricket captain. Paine has since apologized for sending inappropriate messages to a female colleague. Bonnie Paine had been his wife for just one year, and they have two children. The scandal has shaken the Australian cricket community.
Aaron Finch might replace him if the injury is serious.
Aaron Finch, Australia captain, could miss at least one T20I more in his career. His knee injury kept him out for a few more weeks. The injury was first suffered by the captain while he was training for the West Indies T20I series. The injury was worsened during the fifth series game. Australia are scheduled to face three T20Is South Africa early March. Finch is likely not to be able to attend at least one game.
Smith's leadership credentials as a test captain
After South Africa's series loss, the controversy over Steve Smith's leadership abilities in the test game came to light. Smith played a crucial role in the rebuilding of Australia's team following that series loss. His young side has also played against Pakistan, England, and India. Smith's leadership qualities as a test skipper were questioned by many commentators, including Michael Atherton, former Australian captain.
Paine's mental break
Tim Paine is an Australian cricket captain and has declared that he is taking a mental break from the sport. Cricket Australia carried out an investigation that cleared Paine. Paine was also cleared from any allegations of sexual misconduct regarding his past relationships with employees. It is not yet clear when Paine will return to the fields, regardless of his mental state. The news about his mental state was breaking just as he was set to take part in the Ashes Test Series against England.
Aaron Finch's captaincy is still top-notch
Aaron Finch is Australia's captain and has been on a very high level for the past few years. Finch has been a great batsman and has also excelled in limited-overs. Finch's career was marred by injuries in recent times. Michael Vaughan has called Aaron Finch the greatest captain in the game's history, describing him as the top-notch captain.