Trisha Ghosal in Mullanpur
Australia captain Alyssa Healy is relishing the chance to return to India ahead of another World Cup campaign, calling it both a challenge and an opportunity for her side to sharpen their skills. Speaking to the media on the eve of the ODI series, Healy touched upon team combinations, India’s growth, and her own return from injury.
“It’s always nice to be back playing cricket in India. It’s a great place to come as a cricketer,” Healy said. “For our group, it’s a chance to familiarise ourselves with the conditions heading into a World Cup and to test ourselves against a really strong side. It should be a hard-fought week of cricket.”
Australia last played together some time ago, but Healy insisted the squad was in a “really good place” heading into the global event.
“India are probably red-hot favourites in their own conditions, but I feel the 15 players we’ve got are really well placed to contribute in this series,” she noted. While experimentation was not the priority, she admitted “you might see a little bit of rotation” with an eye on the weeks ahead.
Healy also acknowledged the importance of managing key players’ fitness, with reference to Sophie Molineaux. “She’s in frame for the World Cup, not quite ready yet for ODIs, but training really hard. She’s probably in our best XI when fully fit, so we’re looking forward to having her back when ready,” she said of one unnamed teammate.
On her own return, Healy reflected positively: “Playing six games at home after injury was a big tick for me. A lot’s been said about my keeping technique, but honestly, it doesn’t look too different. It’s just easier on my body now, which is important given the heavy period ahead.”
She was also candid about India’s rise. “For a long time, they’ve been a bit of a sleeping giant. But this is the most stable Indian team I’ve seen. They’re aware of how dangerous they can be, and we’ve watched them challenge England recently. It’s a rivalry that keeps growing, and they love beating Australia, especially at home. That’s the challenge we’re excited for.”
With 15 adaptable players, Healy believes Australia can adjust to whatever conditions await. “We’ll wait and see what unfolds, but we’re ready to showcase what we can do.”
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