Star Australian batter Rachael Haynes will miss the Test against India as Ellyse Perry was backed to fire

Australian coach Matthew Mott has revealed what superstar Ellyse Perry is working on to find her bowling best as a star veteran copped some bad news.

Matthew Mott works with Alyssa Healy. Picture: Albert Perez / Getty Images

Rachael Haynes was “devastated” after the star batter was ruled out of this week’s Test against India with a hamstring issue, as coach Matthew Mott revealed he’d stick with Ellyse Perry to open the bowling despite an underwhelming one-day series.

The match on the Gold Coast is set to proceed despite Mott conceding everyone was concerned amid an escalating Covid-19 situation in southeast Queensland forcing a Sheffield Shield game in Brisbane to be abandoned.

Mott said it was “business as usual” with a Thursday afternoon start pencilled in for the day-night clash and that the team wouldn’t adjust its preparation until necessary.

Beth Mooney has been passed fit to play after leaving the field during Sunday’s one-day loss to India with hamstring soreness, and spinner Georgia Wareham is recovering well from a quad strain.

All-rounder Annabel Sutherland could be among what Mott said would be “a few” debutantes set to come from the bowling ranks in the 18-player squad.

Perry also now looms as a hugely important part of what will be a largely inexperienced pace attack and is likely to open the bowling despite failing to take a wicket in the one-day series.

Mott said the 30-year-old conceded she “hasn’t really hit the ground” with her bowling, having returned 0-104 in the three games, and was yanked from the attack after just two wild overs in the opening match.

It came after spending 14 days in hard quarantine before the series, which Mott said was always going to have an impact. Perry is also making some technical changes that haven’t been “fully drilled down”.

But the coach was confident Perry, who has taken 31 Test wickets in eight matches since her debut in 2008, would lift for her favourite format.

“Ellyse would be the first to admit she hasn’t really hit the ground with her bowling as yet,” Mott said on Tuesday.

“I think that you need to keep perspective on these things; any time you put down tools for days and days leading into a key series, you’re going to have to take time to work through things.

Ellyse Perry has been below her best with the ball for Australia. Picture: Albert Perez / Getty Images

“She’s certainly cognisant of what she needs to do and we haven’t had time to drill it down in the nets.

“Ben Sawyer, the fast bowling coach, has had a lot of conversations with her. They have worked on the alignments; it’s more to the left-handers than anything.

“She’s swinging the ball, so there’s a lot to like about it. Obviously it’s a Test match, she should be able to get into some big spells.

“She swings the ball up front, so I think she’s really looking forward to changing formats. Clearly with the bat she’s been a revelation in this format, so I think she goes in very excited.”

Mott said losing Haynes for the rest of the series, including three T20s after this week’s game, was a huge blow for the 34-year-old and the team ahead of its first Test since 2019.

“She’s devastated. Test matches don’t come around too often. She’s a key member of our squad,” Mott said on Tuesday.

“She wants to hang around until the first day of the Test, then she will get home. She’s expecting a child soon (with her partner). It’s bitter sweet. We’ll miss her a lot.”

Originally published as Star Australian batter Rachael Haynes will miss the Test against India as Ellyse Perry was backed to fire