Australia could load up with spinners for first Test in India since 1984

The Australian women’s team hasn’t played a Test in India since 1984 and will confront conditions unlike anything they’ve seen before in Mumbai.

All four spinners in the Australian squad could be called on for the team’s first Test in India since 1984, with a raging turner expected to be produced by local ground staff in Mumbai to play to the home team’s strengths.

While the wicket looms as a significant challenge, life without Meg Lanning will be a lot easier for the Australian team with her replacement as captain, Alyssa Healy, doing enough in her cricketing return to be “on track” to play.

Healy missed the entire WBBL after badly hurting her finger while trying to break up a fight between her two dogs, and coach Shelley Nitschke painted a positive picture of Healy playing in the Test, which starts on Thursday, without locking her in.

“She didn’t keep in the 50-over game, but that’s just part of her progression back to playing,” the coach said.

“Everything’s looking really positive for ‘Midge’ (Healy) and everything’s on track, as we expected, so fingers crossed for her it continues to go that way.”

Nitschke wouldn’t lock in the XI for the match, which begins on Thursday, expecting spin-friendly conditions at Wankhede Stadium having seen India thrash England by a record 347 runs in their Test at nearby DY Patil Stadium last week.

Alana King could play a major role in India. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Indian spinner Deepti Sharma wreaked havoc, taking nine wickets, including 5-7 in the first innings, and the Australians have four spinners at their disposal, with off-spinning all-rounder Ash Gardner set to play an enormous role.

Leg-spinners Alana King, who took 2-5 in the warm-up game, and Georgia Wareham, plus left-arm orthodox spinner Jess Jonassen, are also part of the Aussie squad and given both Wareham and Jonassen’s batting prowess, their selection as a bowing trio would not be detrimental to the Australians.

“We’ve certainly got a lot of options,” Nitschke said from Mumbai.

“We’ve got a number of all-rounders and I think the squad that we’ve got here to select from gives us plenty of options.

“We’re not really clear on where that’s going to land at the moment but we certainly have some decisions to make.

“It’s our challenge to be able to adapt and some of the conditions that we might get are going to be slightly different to what we’ve experienced in Australia … that’s the beauty of Test cricket and playing in India.

Jess Jonassen could be part of a spin-heavy attack. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins

“It’s really exciting. Everyone’s just embracing the challenge.”

The Aussies have not played a Test since their own clash with England in June and haven’t played a Test in India since 1984.

“It’s a tough one to prepare for,” Nitschke said.

“The girls are coming off the back of the WBBL and it looks like we’re going to get some really traditional subcontinent conditions, but it’s also really exciting.

“I think everyone’s just embracing the challenge.”

The multi-format tour of India will consist of the Test match, then three ODIs and three T20s.

Originally published as Australia could load up with spinners for first Test in India since 1984