Australia pick 21-year-old as Healy's replacement for India series; regular captain expected to return vs NZ

Australia will play a three-match series against India in early December before touring New Zealand for as many ODIs. Regular skipper Alyssa Healy suffered a minor knee niggle in the WBBL before being ruled out of the tournament and is expected to return for the New Zealand series.

Australia have called up 21-year-old Georgia Voll, who has been in smashing touch in the ongoing Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) for the Sydney Thunder, for a three-match ODI series against India starting in Brisbane on December 5. Voll is set to partner her Thunder skipper Phoebe Litchfield at the top with regular captain of the Australian team Alyssa Healy missing the series due to an injury she suffered in the WBBL.

Healy was coming off a foot injury she sustained during the Women's T20 World Cup before suffering a knee niggle in one of the games in the WBBL earlier. The niggle seemed to have intensified and Healy was ruled out of WBBL 10. However, Cricket Australia (CA) in its release mentioned that Healy is expected to return for New Zealand subject to fitness.

"We've chosen an experienced squad for these two upcoming tours with next year's Ashes series and ICC Women's World Cup very much very much the focus," Cricket Australia's head of performance and national selector Shawn Flegler said in a statement.

"Georgia Voll has had a strong start to the summer and has shown her potential over several years. She'll form an exciting partnership with Phoebe Litchfield at the top of the order in what will be a great opportunity for her to get a taste of international cricket against a strong India side," Flegler added.

After four seasons with the Brisbane Heat, the change in the club has benefitted Voll immensely. In the ongoing 2024/25 edition of the WBBL, Voll has amassed 310 runs in 10 innings including a best of 97* and at a strike rate of 147. The rest of the squad is business as usual with Tahlia McGrath set to fill in for Healy against India.

"The decision for Alyssa Healy to miss the India series was made with a longer-term view to the Ashes, with her availability for the New Zealand series to become clearer over the next few weeks," Flegler added.

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (NZ series only, pending fitness), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll (India series only) Georgia Wareham