Why did Joe Burns get stripped as Italy's captain? Details
What's the story
Former Australian opener Joe Burns has been removed as the captain of the Italian cricket team. The decision comes just months after he led Italy to qualify for its first-ever T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in India and Sri Lanka from February 7, 2026. The Italian Cricket Federation (FCRI) announced that Derbyshire batter Wayne Madsen will replace Burns as captain. Here are the key details.
Squad changes
Burns's exclusion from T20 WC squad and reason behind it
Along with being stripped of captaincy, Burns was also left out of the squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup. The FCRI said that although preliminary talks about availability took place in recent weeks, a formal contract was never signed. The federation did not elaborate on why Burns was removed as captain and excluded from the tournament but said it was done to "ensure stability, harmony and continuity for the team."
Background
Burns's journey with Italian cricket
Burns, who played 23 Tests and six ODIs for Australia between 2014 and 2020, is eligible to play for Italy through his mother's heritage. He had announced in May 2024 that he would represent Italy as a tribute to his late brother. Burns has played eight T20s for Italy, scoring an unbeaten century in the Europe Qualifier Group A final against Romania.
Tensions rise
Strained relations between Burns and Italian federation
Despite Italy's historic World Cup qualification, tensions between Burns and the Italian federation have been simmering over various issues. The discord was evident in July when Burns cast doubt on his involvement in the tournament during a post-match presentation after Italy's qualification. Although these issues aren't limited to his national team participation alone, they came to a head last month during contract discussions for playing in the World Cup.
Shock
Italy Cricket's head of performance shocked by Burns' snub
As per ESPNcricinfo, Burns was believed to have repeatedly informed the board that he had accepted their terms and was available and willing to play. Marco Mastrorocco, Italy Cricket's head of performance, confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that he had been on communication between Burns and FRCI in which the former Aussie cricketer had accepted the deal. Mastrorocco was involved as a translator and stated, "Joe has had a huge impact on Italian cricket and is a person of high integrity and a top professional. I'm shocked by the decision."
New captain
Madsen's appointment and past experience
Madsen, a South Africa-born cricketer who has been with Derbyshire since 2009 on an Italian passport from his grandmother, will take over as Italy's captain. He has played four T20s for Italy in their unsuccessful bid to qualify for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Despite not being part of the team for the 2026 qualifying, Madsen's past experience makes him a suitable candidate for this important role.