Australia named its 16-player women’s squad for the forthcoming India tour in December and January on Tuesday. Alyssa Healy and Darcie Brown were among those who made the cut. Following the retirement of Meg Lanning, the current Australian Women’s Captain will be announced prior to the tour.
During the Christmas and New Year holidays, one Test, three One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and three T20 Internationals will be played across two venues in Mumbai. A warm-up match against local opposition will be part of the preparations in Mumbai.
Vice-captain Healy, who has stood in for Lanning during her absences over the last year, is tipped as the frontrunner and has put her hand up for the vacated job.
Australia’s hierarchy has begun the search for Lanning’s full-time replacement, with an announcement expected closer to the trip. The one-off Test, Australia’s first visit to India since 1984, begins on December 21 in Mumbai, followed by a three-match ODI and T20I series.
Darcie Brown And Lauren Cheatle Return To The Australia Squad
Darcie Brown has been out since suffering a hamstring injury against the West Indies in the first One-Day International in Brisbane on October 8. She is set to split new-ball responsibilities with Lauren Cheatle, the returning left-arm quick who has not played for Australia since March 2019.
Cheatle, who was only named in the Test squad, produced an eye-catching performance with 11 wickets in five matches during the Australia A tour of England in June.
Australia’s lineup is largely the same as the one that won the Ashes series in July. Top-order batter Phoebe Litchfield, 20, is expected to come up and fill Lanning’s shoes. The matches will take place in two different venues in Mumbai.
Australia squad: Darcie Brown, Lauren Cheatle (Test only), Heather Graham, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris (T20), Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham
JUST IN: Equal #WBBL09 leading wicket-taker Lauren Cheatle earns national recall as Australia name squad for historic India tour.
Check out the full 16-player squad 👇 #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 14, 2023
