List of Australia national cricket captains
This is a list of the men, women and boys who have been the official Australian captains in Tests, ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals.
Australia participated in the first Test match in cricket in 1877, the first One Day International in 1971 and the first Twenty20 international in 2005. In addition to officially sanctioned international matches and tours organised by the Australian Cricket Board, 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. 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 third Test against New Zealand in January 2020.
Notes:
- 1 In 1945, just after the Second World War had ended in Europe, Warrant Officer Lindsay Hassett 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 1971–2 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.
- 4Ian Chappell and Greg Chappell are brothers, and grandsons of Vic Richardson.
- 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. Smith and Warner were subsequently suspended following an investigation, and Paine was confirmed as captain for the Fourth Test.
Test match vice-captains
- Bill Lawry – under Bob Simpson in 1965–66
- Barry Jarman – under Bill Lawry in 1968–69
- Keith Stackpole – under Ian Chappell in 1972
- Ian Redpath – under Ian Chappell in 1974–75, and under Greg Chappell in 1975–76
- Greg Chappell – under Ian Chappell in 1975, then promoted to captain
- Craig Serjeant – under Bob Simpson in 1977–78 vs India, when he was dropped
- Graham Yallop – under Bob Simpson in 1977–78 vs India – when he was replaced by Jeff Thomson
- Jeff Thomson – under Bob Simpson in 1977–78 vs West Indies
- Gary Cosier – under Graham Yallop in 1978, when he was dropped
- John Maclean – under Graham Yallop in 1978–79, when he was dropped
- Kim Hughes – under Graham Yallop and under Greg Chappell from 1979 to 1983
- Rod Marsh – under Greg Chappell and under Kim Hughes in 1981
- Greg Chappell – resumed the position under Kim Hughes in 1983–84 vs Pakistan
- Allan Border – under Kim Hughes from 1983–84 to 1984–85, then promoted to captain when Hughes resigned
- Rodney Hogg – under Kim Hughes in 1984–85 vs West Indies, when he was dropped
- Graeme Wood – under Allan Border for one Test in 1985
- Andrew Hilditch – under Kim Hughes in 1979 and under Allan Border in England in 1985, when he was dropped
- David Hookes - under Allan Border in 1985, until when he was dropped
- Ray Bright – under Allan Border from 1985 to 1986
- Geoff Marsh – under Allan Border from 1988 to 1992, when he was dropped
- Mark Taylor – under Allan Border from 1992 to 1994, dropped at one point, re-selected and later promoted to captain
- Ian Healy – under Mark Taylor from 1994 to 1997, when he was made to step aside for Steve Waugh
- Steve Waugh – under Mark Taylor from 1997 to 1999, then promoted to captain
- Shane Warne – under Steve Waugh from 1999 to 2000, dropped at one point, re-selected and later sacked from the position
- Mark Waugh – under Steve Waugh for one Test in 1999 when Shane Warne was dropped. Source Mark Waugh's Book.
- Adam Gilchrist – under Steve Waugh from August 2000 to April 2003, when he was made to step aside for Ricky Ponting
- Ricky Ponting – under Steve Waugh from April 2003 to March 2004, then promoted to captain
- Adam Gilchrist – resumed the position under Ricky Ponting from March 2004 to January 2008, when he retired
- Michael Clarke – under Ricky Ponting from April 2008 to March 2011, then promoted to captain
- Michael Hussey – under Ricky Ponting in May 2008, when he was made to step aside for Michael Clarke
- Shane Watson – under Michael Clarke, from March 2011 to April 2013, when he resigned from the position
- Brad Haddin – under Michael Clarke from April 2013 to December 2014, and under Steve Smith from December 2014 to January 2015, when he was made to step aside for Steve Smith
- Steve Smith – under Michael Clarke from December 2014 to August 2015, then promoted to captain temporarily during 2014–15 India Test series with Clarke injured and later promoted permanently after 2015 Ashes series
- David Warner – under Steve Smith from August 2015 to March 2018, when he stood down following a ball-tampering scandal
- Josh Hazlewood – under Tim Paine from September 2018 to January 2019, when he was injured
- Mitchell Marsh – under Tim Paine from September 2018 to January 2019, when he was dropped
- Pat Cummins – under Tim Paine from January 2019
- Travis Head – under Tim Paine from January 2019, dropped at one point and re-selected
One Day International captains
The table of results is complete up to the third ODI against South Africa in March 2020.
Notes:
- Source:
- 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.
- 7Ricky Ponting also captained the :Category:ICC World XI One Day International cricketers|ICC World XI in the first ODI played as part of the World Cricket Tsunami Appeal. The ICC World XI won that game.
Twenty20 International captains
This is a complete list of every man who has captained Australia in at least one T20 International.
The table of results is complete up to the third T20I against South Africa in February 2020.
- Source:
Other Men's captains
World Series Cricket 1977–78 and 1978–79
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.South Africa 1985–86 and 1986–87
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. 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 table of results is complete up to the only Test against England in July 2019.
Women's One-Day International captains
This is a list of cricketers who have captained the Australian women's cricket team for at least one women's One-Day International. The table of results is complete to the third ODI against England on 9 January 2011. Australia won the World Cup in 1977/8, 1981/2, 1988/9, 1997/8 and 2004/5.Women's Twenty20 International captains
This is a list of cricketers who have captained the Australian women's cricket team for at least one women's Twenty20 International.Youth cricket
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 England in 2015.