Australia announced the squad for the upcoming India and New Zealand series. Their regular captain Alyssa Healy has been ruled out with a knee injury she suffered during the ongoing WBBL 2024 season. Meanwhile, Sydney Thunder's 21-year-old batting star Georgia Voll has been included in the ODI squad to face India, replacing the injured Healy as well.
However, Voll has been included only for the India series with Healy expected to regain his fitness for the New Zealand series soon after the India series as well. Meanwhile, Tahlia McGrath will take over captaincy duties, as she did in the latter stages of the T20 World Cup as well when Alyssa Healy suffered a foot injury as well. Ash Gardner will be McGrath's deputy with Beth Mooney taking over the keeper's role as well.
Georgia Voll plays a key role for Sydney Thunder in WBBL 2024
However, Voll has been in sublime form in the ongoing WBBL season after moving to the Thunder, hitting 299 runs at a strike rate of 145.85 in nine innings so far as well. Before that, she smashed 201 runs from four innings in the domestic 50-over Women's National Cricket League. Against India, she is going to open the batting with her Thunder teammate Phoebe Litchfield as well.
"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. "Georgia Voll has had a strong start to the summer and has shown her potential over several years.
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"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. 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."
The three-match ODI series against India will start on December 5 at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane, four days after the end of the WBBL 2024 as well.
Australia squad for ODIs against India and New Zealand:
Alyssa Healy (*only available for NZ series), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll (*India series only), Georgia Wareham