Earlier this year, in May, Burns had switched allegiance to Italy.
It has been announced that Joe Burns will be the new captain of Italy. The former hitter for Australia has switched to Italy in May of this year.
Burns, who was born in Brisbane, made his debut for Italy in June after qualifying for the country through his mother’s lineage.
“It is a privilege to assume this position and represent Italy internationally,” Burns said in a statement. It represents a return to my family’s origins for me. I’m thrilled to be able to help Italian cricket reach its full potential. My teammates and I are striving to fulfill our supporters’ expectations and accomplish lofty objectives.” The Italian Cricket Federation’s president, Fabio Marabini, supported Burns’ ascent to the position. “Since day one, Joe has shown great generosity and professionalism, putting his experience and competitive spirit at the disposal of the team,” he stated. “His selection as captain is a reflection of our goal to elevate Italian cricket to new heights. Additionally, we are depending on his leadership to be a key player in the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup qualifying stages.”
Burns, who has so far played five T20 I for Italy, has amassed 211 runs at a strike rate of 144.52 and an average of 70.33. He defeated Romania in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub Regional Europe Qualifier Group A with an undefeated 108 off 55 balls in his most recent Twenty20 International.
Burns has drawn interest in franchise T20 cricket as well; the Dubai Capitals have signed him for the next ILT20 season in the United Arab Emirates. In addition to the Big Bash League, Burns has played in the Vitality Blast.
Burns, who was an Australia Test opener from December 2014 to December 2020, amassed 1442 runs from 40 innings in 23 matches, including four hundreds, at an average of 36.97.
The inclusion of Burns’ teammate Thomas Draca on the long list for the 2025 player auction also brought Italy to the attention of the IPL. Nevertheless, the fast bowler was left out of the final roster.
