Australia great Alyssa Healy to retire from international cricket after India tour

Australia will soon usher in a new era of leadership, with long-serving captain Alyssa Healy announcing her retirement from international cricket at the end of the home summer.

The news emerged early on Tuesday when Healy made the announcement on the Willow Talk podcast, which she co-hosts, bringing an end to a distinguished 16-year international career.

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Healy’s retirement from T20 internationals takes effect immediately, ruling her out of the three-match T20I series against India scheduled from February 15 to 21. She will, however, continue to represent Australia in the ODI leg of the series later in the month and in the one-off Test match, with the multi-format contest set to begin on March 6.

“It’s with mixed emotions that the upcoming India series will be my last for Australia,” Healy said in a statement.

“I’m still passionate about playing for Australia, but I’ve somewhat lost that competitive edge that’s kept me driven since the start, so the time feels right to call it a day.

“Knowing I won’t be going to the T20 World Cup this year and the limited preparation time the team has, I won’t be part of the T20s against India, but I’m excited to have the opportunity to finish my career and captain the ODI and Test side at home against India, one of the biggest series on the calendar for us.

“I’ll genuinely miss my teammates, singing the team song and walking out to open the batting for Australia. Representing my country has been an incredible honour and I’m grateful for one last series in the green and gold,” she added.

By stepping away from the T20Is, Australia will be able to begin preparations for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales without Healy, with their opening match of the tournament scheduled for June 13 in Manchester.

Before the World Cup, Australia will play three T20Is against India and another three away to the West Indies as they look to improve on their semi-final exit in 2024.

With Healy set to depart, Australia face uncertainty over leadership across formats. Vice-captain Tahlia McGrath is one option, while Ashleigh Gardner and Phoebe Litchfield have also been mentioned as potential candidates to take on the captaincy role.