Australia captain Alyssa Healy wants more women’s Test cricket

As she prepares for the most challenging Test match of her career, Alyssa Healy says she wants more added to the calendar.

Alyssa Healy has called for more Test cricket to be included in the women’s international calendar as she prepares to lead Australia into the most challenging Test match of her career.

Healy confirmed she would bat in the middle order in her first Test in India at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, with the Australians expecting spin to dominate the clash after visiting England was routed by India’s slow bowlers within three days last week.

The wicketkeeper, who said she had full confidence in her healed finger after a sickening accident at home ruined her WBBL campaign, was tight-lipped over selection but backed Beth Mooney and Phoebe Litchfield to continue at the top of the order after being paired together in the Ashes Test this year.

“I’ll probably be down in the middle order, I think it’s probably a tough ask to come out and open the batting and wicketkeep, particularly here in India where the wickets are quite tough,” Healy said on Wednesday.

Alyssa Healy will serve as Australia’s permanent captain for the first time when the Test against India begins in Mumbai on Thursday. Picture: Brendon Thorne / Getty Images

“So I’ll slot in the middle order and let the other two do their thing.”

Specialist quicks Kim Garth, Darcie Brown and Lauren Cheatle could be competing for just a single spot in the side, as Healy said the tourists would need a diverse mix of spin options on a dry pitch at Wankhede.

“We’ve had a look at the wicket – it looks very dry, a lot less grass on it than what we played on in the 50-over practice game,” she said.

“A lot of the English batters got out to surreal side-spinning deliveries from the Indian spinners, and a lot of the Indian batters got out to a lot of bounce and over-spinning deliveries that the English team bowled.

“I think if you can find a combination of both, it could be a really successful mix and I think we’ve got that in our squad.”

Left-arm quick Lauren Cheatle is in the frame for a Test debut after a strong practice match outing at Wankhede Stadium, but Healy says conditions look more spin-friendly this time ahead of Thursday’s clash.

Healy suggested her ability to turn to Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath and Annabel Sutherland for overs would also influence the make-up of the bowling attack.

“We’re blessed to have three world-class all-rounders who bat in our top five or six and are able to bowl some seam for us as well,” she said.

Although excited for Australia’s first Test in India since 1984, Healy said there was an element of frustration over what little room her side had for error compared with when the men’s side toured the subcontinent.

“I looked at the England (versus India) Test match … this is why the boys play a five-Test series here in India because the ability to adapt and adjust to conditions over time is really important throughout the series,” Healy said.

“It’s really hard to take, and it’s kind of one (where) you can throw (a loss) away and go ‘it was really hard, the conditions were really difficult’.

“I’d like to see more (Tests played) … I think the reality of that is it won’t happen, but if more and more nations around the world are interested in playing the multi-format series I think it’s a great way to get Test cricket back relevant in our game.