Melbourne, Dec 11 (IANS): Marcus Stoinis, the new captain of Melbourne Stars for the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) season, expressed his gratitude and excitement over the appointment, highlighting his long-standing connection with the team and his belief in the squad’s potential.
Stoinis replaces Glenn Maxwell, who stepped down from the captaincy of the Stars at the end of last summer.
"I had a little bit of a taste of captaining the side in Maxi's absence last year and loved the opportunity, so to be given the role full-time is a great honor," Stoinis said in a statement form the club. "The Stars have been such a constant in my life every summer for the last 10 years, and I truly believe that the group we have assembled both on and off the field can bring some long-overdue success to the club."
Stoinis, who recently signed a three-year contract extension, will remain with the Stars until the end of the 2026-27 season. He is the second player after Maxwell to play 100 matches for the Stars and had previously led the team on one occasion last season in Maxwell’s absence.
Stars General Manager Blair Crouch acknowledged Maxwell’s contributions as captain over the past five seasons, emphasizing his ongoing value to the team even as he steps down from the leadership role.
"First of all, I want to acknowledge and thank Glenn Maxwell for all his efforts in leading the side over the past five seasons. He will continue to be a wonderful resource for everyone at the club," Crouch said. "Marcus demonstrated his leadership ability last year and has been a senior member of the side for a long time. It's wonderful to have someone who has been at the Stars almost from our inception lead our club in BBL14."
Stoinis’ captaincy debut is set to be a challenging one, with the Stars expected to field a depleted line-up at the start of the season. Glenn Maxwell’s return from a hamstring injury remains uncertain, and he is unlikely to feature in the opening match.
Additionally, Scott Boland and Beau Webster will be unavailable due to their commitments with Australia’s Test squad. Overseas signings Ben Duckett and Osama Mir will also miss the first three games of the season.\Meanwhile, Melbourne Renegades have finalised their squad by signing Victorian duo Marcus Harris and Xavier Crone. Brisbane Heat have also completed their list with the addition of allrounder Jack Wildermuth. However, the Heat face similar early-season challenges, as Michael Neser is sidelined with a hamstring injury, and Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne remain unavailable until the conclusion of the Australia-India Test series on January 8.