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Joe Burns allegedly dumped by Italy for 'high standards'; Explosive text messages surface

Akshita Patel

New controversy in Joe Burns' exit from Italy [Source: @ICC/X.com]New controversy in Joe Burns' exit from Italy [Source: @ICC/X.com]

Just months after leading Italy to their first-ever World Cup qualification, former Australian Test opener Joe Burns was dumped as captain and left out of the squad. But that wasn’t for form, but for asking for higher standards.

Burns, who played 23 Tests for Australia, became the face of Italy’s historic rise in 2025. He inspired them on the field while dealing with personal tragedy off it, the loss of his brother early in 2024.

At 36, Joe Burns looked set to crown his comeback story by leading Italy at the World Cup. Instead, it ended abruptly.

Joe Burns sacked as Italy captain for ‘high standards’

As reported by Fox Sports, some messages were sent by Joe Burns to his teammates on November 12. The fallout began when he raised concerns about how Italian cricket was being run behind the scenes. 

Burns reportedly said he pushed for better systems, clearer communication, and stronger integrity within the setup, all with the goal of helping the team perform better.

The response, however, stunned him. Joe Burns allegedly wrote that he was told his expectations were “above the standards of Italian cricket”.

In the message, Burns defended his intentions, telling teammates that advocating for better professionalism was part of his responsibility as captain. 

“Advocacy can be tough, but that’s the weight of responsibility. Their response was that my standards were above the standards of Italian cricket. Since then, a lot of inaccurate and disparaging information has been circulated about me, and used as an excuse for poor operations," Burns said.

He claimed that inaccurate and damaging information was later spread about him to justify poor administration, leaving him isolated and misrepresented.

Despite wanting to focus purely on cricket, Joe Burns said ongoing inefficiencies made his position untenable. 

“The reality of events has been misrepresented and, as a result, many have been misinformed — even if not intentionally. Please know my intentions have always been to look after you boys like brothers and to help us become the best team we can be," he added.

Italy denies all charges

Meanwhile, Italian cricket officials have publicly denied wrongdoing, claiming a full agreement was never reached and that Wayne Madsen was appointed captain to ensure “stability and harmony”. 

However, Italy’s head of cricket, Marco Mastrorocco, also described Joe Burns as a man of “high integrity”, adding to the confusion.