Alyssa Healy certain about return of competitive cricket ahead of Australia’s tour of India

Sydney, Dec 8 (IANS) Australia’s wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy believes she is certain about returning to competitive cricket ahead of the tour of India, which begins with a one-off Test in Mumbai starting on December 21.

Alyssa’s last competitive cricket appearance came in October this year in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), before missing out on the rest of the tournament due to an injury to her right index finger while trying to break up a fight between her dogs and had to undergo surgery.

“I assume I’ll be out there (for the first Test in Mumbai), they’re going to have to do a lot to stop me walking out there and catching the first delivery. Everything’s going really, really well. I started back in the nets the last week-and-a-half so I’m all on track to fly to India on Wednesday for a big series over there,” Alyssa was quoted as saying by ICC, at the Kayo Summer of Cricket launch.

Alyssa is all but confirmed to be Australia’s new captain, after Meg Lanning’s shock retirement from international cricket. But Alyssa had been captaining Australia in the absence of Meg over the last year and a half, including in this year’s Ashes in England.

“Obviously we leave on Wednesday so having some sort of clarity and assurance for the team before we fly out would be great. If it was me, it’d be unbelievably exciting. I feel like I’ve been warming the seat for 18 months for Meg to come back and obviously, with Meg’s news it was a bit of a shock.”

“To go over to India and captain a multi-format series would be really exciting for whoever does get the job. If it’s me, then your beauty!” she added.

The four-day Test match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai will be the first Test Australia will be playing in India since 1984. A three-game ODI series at the same venue and a three-match T20I series at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai will also be played between the two teams.

–IANS

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