The Melbourne Renegades congratulate Sophie Molineux on her appointment as captain of the Australian Women’s Team, marking a significant milestone for the club and one of its most influential leaders.
The Nation's Captain: Molineux to lead the Aussies in all three formats
Molineux will take the reins from Alyssa Healy, who will retire from international cricket in March, with the Victorian set to make her national captaincy debut during the upcoming multi-format series against India.
The 28-year-old will lead Australia in the three T20 Internationals, while Healy captains the side for the final time in the ODI and Test formats, with Molineux serving as her deputy. Ashleigh Gardner has been elevated to vice-captain alongside Tahlia McGrath across all formats.
A cornerstone of the Melbourne Renegades program, Molineux became the youngest captain in the club's history when she took the helm 2021 and has been central to its rise to success in recent WBBL seasons. Under her leadership, the Renegades claimed their maiden WBBL title in 2024, with Molineux playing a pivotal role throughout the championship campaign.
Widely regarded as one of the competition’s most consistent and influential performers, Molineux has also been recognised on multiple occasions as the Renegades’ Player of the Season, reflecting her impact as both a match-winner and leader.
Her appointment to the Australian captaincy further cements her status as one of the game’s most respected figures, bringing together elite performance, resilience and proven leadership honed at the Renegades and Victoria.
Cricket Australia Chair Mike Baird said Molineux was a natural choice to lead the national side into its next chapter.
“Sophie is a terrific player and leader who brings a wealth of experience and success to the role and someone we are proud to have lead this great side,” Baird said.
Cricket Australia Head of Performance (Women’s Cricket) and National Selector Shawn Flegler echoed those sentiments, highlighting Molineux’s domestic leadership credentials.
“Sophie is an outstanding leader and we are thrilled for her to take on the role,” Flegler said.
“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.”
Speaking on her appointment, Molineux said captaining Australia was a moment she was incredibly proud of.
“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.
"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 Melbourne Renegades congratulate Sophie on this outstanding achievement and look forward to seeing their captain lead on the international stage and continue to lead the Renegades in WBBL|12 and beyond.