Newly-appointed Australian captain Alyssa Healy has warned India against preparing spinning wickets for the upcoming Test match at Wankhede Stadium, arguing the ploy could backfire against the hosts.
The national women’s team travels to the subcontinent this week for a multi-format series against India, commencing with a four-day Test at the iconic Mumbai venue on December 21.
India has become renowned for preparing spin-friendly decks for red-ball contests. The pitch for the third Test of this year’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Indore’s Holkar Stadium unfairly favoured spinners, with the match wrapping up in just over two days as slow bowlers snared 27 of the 31 wickets.
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Speaking to reporters in Parramatta on Friday morning, Healy suggested it could work in Australia’s favour if India prepared a bunsen burner for this month’s historic Test.
“I’m actually really intrigued to see what sort of wickets they prepare,” Healy said.
“I think we’ve got a really, really good spin attack, so do that at your own peril.
“Don’t get me wrong, the Indians have got a strong spin attack as well, but we’ve got some of the best leg-spinners in the world. We’ve got Ash Gardner, who took nine wickets on English soil with the ball in hand, so prepare spinning wickets at your own demise.
“It will be interesting to see if they make it nice and flat, but I haven’t played at Wankhede since the IPL exhibition game a couple of years ago, so I’m excited for that experience.”
Australia has named four strike spinners in its 16-player squad for the India tour; off-spinner Ash Gardner, left-armer Jess Jonassen and the leg-spin duo of Alana King and Georgia Wareham. Gardner claimed 12-165 during this year’s Ashes Test at Trent Bridge, the second-best bowling figures in women’s Test history.
Healy was initially in doubt for the India tour after severing an artery in her right index finger during a bloody altercation with her dogs. The 33-year-old wicketkeeper missed the entire Women’s Big Bash League, watching from the sidelines as the Sydney Sixers failed to qualify for the finals series in her absence.
However, Healy confirmed she was available for the India Test, asserting that her recovery was going “really, really well”.
“I started back in the nets over the last week and a half, so I’m on track to fly to India for a big series over there,” she continued.
“I actually always thought I was a couch potato, but spending three weeks on the couch, not even being able to sweat, was a real struggle for me. It wasn’t much fun.”
On Saturday afternoon, Healy was officially appointed Australia’s new women’s captain across all three formats, replacing Meg Lanning, who retired from International cricket last month.
The decision was ratified at a Cricket Australia board meeting on Friday, with all-rounder Tahlia McGrath named as her deputy.
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Healy, who has captained the New South Wales Breakers since 2018, has recently captained her country on an interim basis, leading Australia during this year’s Ashes campaign in England and the recent white-ball series against the West Indies.
The national women’s team’s next major assignments are the 2024 T20 World Cup in Bangladesh and the 2025 World Cup in India.
“My captaincy’s changed in that 12 months,” Healy said.
“I can’t wait to see what it’s going to do over the next couple of seasons and where it will take me.
“I’d love to play some really good cricket and continue to contribute to this side on the field, but if I can help encourage the young players to do that just as well as what I can then I feel like I’m doing my job.
“I want to help create a new legacy for this Australian team.”
The Australians are due to leave for India on Wednesday, returning home after the third T20 in Mumbai on January 9.
“It is our first time away over the Christmas period, the first time I’ve been away from family for well over 10 years,” Healy said.
“I think it’s a really exciting opportunity for our group to get together. We are new, feels like there’s lots of change that’s happening both on and off the field in our group. So the opportunity to spend a month together in India, look out for one another and learn more about one another. I think there’s no better time for it.”
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