New Australian captain Alyssa Healy ready for Test match in India after finger injury

Australia will rack up a 40-year first when they take on India in Mumbai and the new Australian captain looks like she’ll be there.

Life without Meg Lanning will be a lot easier for the Australian team in the historic one-off Test against India, with her replacement as captain doing enough in her cricketing return to be “on track” to play.

Alyssa Healy, announced as Lanning’s replacement following the superstar former skipper’s shock decision to retire, batted but didn’t keep wicket in a warm-up clash in Mumbai, making 55 from 52 balls batting at No.5.

The new captain was forced to miss 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.

“All things being equal, we’ll see her out there, unless there’s some significant change.”

Australian captain Alyssa Healy made 55. Picture: cricket.com

Also In the warm-up match, leg-spinner Alan King showed her skill ahead of the Test that could be played in spin-friendly conditions, taking 2-6.

It comes after India crushed England by a record 347-run margin in their Test last week, with spinner Deepti Sharma taking a staggering 5-7 in the first innings.

Healy’s presence looms as crucial in a side without Lanning taking on the home team chock-full of confidence in their own conditions. .

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 New Australian captain Alyssa Healy ready for Test match in India after finger injury