Alyssa Healy ready to take up Australia’s captaincy; confident of recovery from finger injury ahead of India tour

Wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy stated she is ready to take on the Australia captaincy in full-time capacity following Meg Lanning's international retirement and expressed confidence in her recovery from a finger injury ahead of tour of India starting with a Test match on December 21.

Alyssa has stood in for Meg over the last 12 months in Australia’s tour of India, Women’s Ashes in England and the white-ball series against West Indies. With the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup and 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, plus a home Ashes series, Australia quickly needs to get a captain on full-time basis.

"I've been filling in in the anticipation that Meg will come back, but at the end of the day the decision of who the next skipper will be is up to the powers that be, whether they look long term or short term I'm not 100% certain on that."

"I've had a nice little taste of it and, yes, 100% I would put my hand up to do it again if called upon. But that's for somebody else to decide and if it is somebody else then I'll happily support them as best as I can for the rest of my career."

"I feel like I've learnt a lot about myself but also a lot about our group and potentially what we need to do to continue to evolve. I've had to learn along the way how we are going to do that and how I can best try and help the players do that. It's been fun learnings and grateful at 33 that I've had the opportunity to learn more about myself as a player," Healy was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

Last month, Alyssa was trying to separate Misty and Millie, her two Staffordshire bull terriers puppies, at home. But she was left with a severed artery in her right finger, which needed surgery immediately, thus ruling her out of Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL).

Talking of her recovery, she said, "Hard to give you a direct (answer), but everything is going really well. It's on schedule as much as you can say that. In my own head I'm playing that Test match but it's all going to be how my finger functions and whether I can do my job properly to play a Test in India."

"I'm highly confident (and) everyone who is in charge of it seems to be highly confident that it will take place but at the moment it's just being really patient, letting in heal then we can try to push a little bit closer to time."

Alyssa also paid a glowing tribute to Meg, saying she took Australia to greater heights in women’s international cricket as the side won seven global titles under her leadership, along with a gold medal in the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

"She just grew into the role a little bit more, became more assured herself as a leader. We all knew her capabilities as a player but what she did as a captain as well just enhanced those skills as a player…and made her more determined to go out there and win the game for your country, which as a team-mate there's nothing much better than that."

"The success rate she had as skipper and the amount of wins and trophies we won under her, think it's pretty unmatched in the women's and men's game. Her legacy as a leader in Australian cricket will be remembered for a lot longer than her amazing skills on the field."