Ellyse Perry is working to prove her fitness for the upcoming day-night Test against India. The Australian cricketer returned to training at the WACA Ground after recovering from a quad strain that forced her to miss the ODI segment of the multi-format series.
Ellyse Perry’s Training Progress
At 35 years old, Perry focused on her batting during training. She engaged in both net sessions and running drills. Coach Shelley Nitschke reported that Perry is tracking well, with the final assessment of her fitness expected after Thursday’s training session.
Team Strategies and Alternatives
If Perry cannot play, Australia has potential replacements, including uncapped batter Rachel Trenaman from Tasmania. The team might also consider reshuffling their batting order. Against England last year, Tahlia McGrath was positioned at No. 8, allowing for more bowling options.
Alyssa Healy’s Position Remains Unclear
The future of retiring captain Alyssa Healy in the batting lineup is also uncertain. Healy has previously opened in Tests but shifted to the middle order after becoming captain. Her performance in the final ODI, where she scored 158, has raised questions about her potential return to the top of the order alongside Phoebe Litchfield.
Nitschke stated that the decision regarding Healy’s batting position would be based on team balance. In previous matches, Healy has played through injuries, limiting her role as a wicketkeeper and opener. Healy’s return to form may influence her position against India.
Multi-Format Series Overview
The current multi-format series sees Australia leading 8-4 against India. Key dates in the series included:
- February 15: First T20 – India won by 21 runs (DLS)
- February 19: Second T20 – Australia won by 19 runs
- February 21: Third T20 – India won by 17 runs
- February 24: First ODI – Australia won by six wickets
- February 27: Second ODI – Australia won by five wickets
- March 1: Third ODI – Australia won by 185 runs
Upcoming Test Match Details
The Test match between Australia and India is scheduled from March 6-9 at WACA Ground, starting at 4:20 PM AEDT. The anticipation builds as both teams prepare for an exciting contest.
Current Test Squads
| Australia Test Squad | India Test Squad |
|---|---|
| Alyssa Healy (c) | Harmanpreet Kaur (c) |
| Darcie Brown | Smriti Mandhana (vc) |
| Maitlan Brown | Shafali Verma |
| Ashleigh Gardner | Jemimah Rodrigues |
| Lucy Hamilton | Richa Ghosh |
| Alana King | Deepti Sharma |
| Phoebe Litchfield | Kashvee Gautam |
| Beth Mooney | Sneh Rana |
| Tahlia McGrath | Amanjot Kaur |
| Ellyse Perry | Uma Chetry |
| Annabel Sutherland | Pratika Rawal |
| Rachel Trenaman | Harleen Deol |
| Georgia Voll | Kranti Gaud |
| Georgia Wareham | Vaishnavi Sharma |
| Sayali Satghare |
The developments surrounding Perry and Healy will be closely monitored in the lead-up to the Test match against India.
