The Adelaide Strikers have named 2022 Big Bash League player Matthew Short as their captain for the upcoming season. The all-rounder replaces another swashbuckling batsman, Travis Head, as captain.

Matthew Short, last season's player of the tournament in the BBL, has been named the new captain of the Adelaide Strikers.

Short takes over permanently from Travis Head, who filled in for him last season. He scored 458 runs and took 11 wickets in the 2022-23 edition of the tournament and has since made his T20I and ODIs debut for Australia.

“Matt was an outstanding choice to take on the captaincy of the Adelaide Strikers and we are pleased to announce him as our sixth captain,” said Strikers head coach Jason Gillespie. “When he came forward last year, we were very impressed with his leadership and look forward to watching him continue to grow into the role.”

Short added: “I really enjoyed the little taste of captaincy I got last season and I’m looking forward to turning my full attention to it in BBL13.”

The 28-year-old's first short-format hundred was a defining moment in a breakthrough summer that included Player of the Tournament status in the BBL|12 and selection in Australia's white-ball team for series in South Africa and India.

But while Short admits his 156 runs at 22.3 (strike rate 167.7) from seven T20 International appearances were

"somewhat disappointing", he is optimistic that a repeat of last year's BBL form will put him in the sights of selection which will bring the global showpiece to the Caribbean and USA next June.

“I still need to work on a few things in my game, especially against the spin there,” he said of the recently concluded T20 series in India, which saw the Strikers opener fluctuate between the top of the Australian batting order and number six and achieved a score of 13. 19, 22 and 16.

“I was hoping it would get a little better, but coming into the Big Bash I'm keen to get back in shape - not that I'm out of shape - and get ready for next year's World Cup.”

“My form over the last few years has definitely given me the confidence that I can reach this level.” “Hopefully I can put a performance on the board here and see what happens.”

Strikers finished seventh last season with just five wins from 14 matches. They will open this campaign against Brisbane Heat in Adelaide on Saturday.