Joe Burns replaced as Italy captain, left out of T20 World Cup plans

Joe Burns, the former Australian Test player, has been replaced as Italy's captain and will not be included in their T20 World Cup squad. Wayne Madsen, a veteran batter from Derbyshire, will be taking over the captaincy.

Burns' leadership was instrumental in Italy's successful qualification campaign over the past year and a half, which culminated in July. He led the team to victories against Guernsey and Scotland at The Hague during the European regional qualifier, securing Italy's first-ever World Cup appearance. This achievement was particularly significant given the personal challenges Burns faced after the loss of his brother in early 2024, which motivated his move to play for Italy through his mother's heritage. He was appointed captain at the end of that year and honored his brother by wearing the number 85 jersey.

That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. the Italian Cricket Federation (FCRI) has now announced that Madsen will captain the team for the upcoming series against Ireland and the T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka next February. The FCRI's statement cited availability and contractual terms as the reason for the change, but it is understood that the issue is more complex and has been ongoing since at least October. The board hinted at these broader issues, stating that the decision was made to "ensure stability, harmony, and continuity for the team, elements deemed to be priorities over short-term objectives."

Burns was reportedly aware of his potential exclusion for some time. Madsen was first mentioned as a possible captain in an FCRI press release in late November, when he was with the team at a training camp in the UAE. Burns was not part of that squad. The FCRI stated that "Although preliminary exchanges of availability took place in recent weeks, a full agreement was never reached and, consequently, a formal contract was not signed."

Despite this, Burns is believed to have repeatedly informed the board that he accepted their terms and was available to play. Marco Mastrorocco, Italy Cricket's head of performance, confirmed that he had been in communication with Burns and the FCRI, and that Burns had made it clear he accepted the deal. Mastrorocco, who acted as a translator in these communications, expressed his surprise at the decision, stating, "Joe has had a huge impact on Italian cricket and is a person of high integrity and a top professional."

During his eight T20Is for Italy, Burns scored one century and one half-century, averaging 45 with a strike rate close to 140.

The board has stated that it will not be commenting further on the matter but acknowledged Burns' contribution to Italian cricket, stating that his service represents "an important chapter in the continued development of the Italian national team" and offering their sincere thanks.