India vs Australia: Alyssa Healy bats for more Tests

Australia captain Alyssa Healy hopes for more Test matches will be played in the future even as she acknowledged the white ball dominant nature of women’s cricket. She also lauded India for their relentlessness they showed during the one-off Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai where the hosts India beat Australia by eight wickets for the first time in the format.

I mean that's up to the BCCI and probably Cricket Australia as well to decide whether that's on the cards (more Test matches) or not,” Healy said in a media interaction after the Test match on Sunday (December 24). “Look standing there in the press conference when Anjum (Anjum Chopra) asked me a question and then I thought ‘imagine playing two more of these’. I think that would be an unbelievable experience for our group and probably a true test of both sides’ abilities”.

“I think the one-off Test match (with) India playing in their home conditions. You would expect them to be heavy favourites. But the way we tried to adapt and continue to learn throughout the four days was really impressive. We would love to see more and more and I think it would it would create a real contest over three games.”

During the England tour early this, Australia retained The Ashes by drawing the multi-format series on eight points on the back of a win in the only Test at Trent Bridge. The loss against Harmanpreet Kaur anc Co. is Australia's first Test match loss since 2014. 

“But the nature of the female game at the moment is it's very white ball dominant and trying to get fit it all in to the calendar and fit all the white ball games, in particular, seems to take precedence, but you take three one-day games out, you could probably play two more Test matches,” Healy continued.

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After playing the Nottingham Test in England in June and the Mumbai Test against India, Australia’s next  Test assignment will be when they host South Africa for a Test at the WACA in Feburary 2024.

“I think so. You probably are going to look at we are going to play three Test matches over the space of 12 or nine months in three very, very different conditions and that’s probably a big ask for a side to come out and play the way they want to and you think about the way you want to play, but sometimes it doesn’t come to fruition because of the conditions that we are not used to,” Healy said.

“I can happily sit here and say yes, I would love to play more Test cricket, (but) it’s just the reality of what it looks like and how we would make that happen (when it) comes to playing more knowing that we are white ball dominant. We got World Cups seemingly every year in the white ball formats. How all that would fit in and take place when it’s only three-four teams that are playing it.”

Healy, who took over as full-time captain for the series with Meg Lanning announcing her retirement, also added that she is still getting the hang of Test cricket and captaining the side in the format considering she has played only eight matches in the format so far.

“In terms of the captaincy side of thing, yeah, I'm, I'm still coming to grips with it. I myself have only played seven (eight) Test matches. You wouldn't see too many captains sitting here that have played that little Test matches in the men's game. I think, for all of us, we're still learning about the game. But in saying that it is the simplest version of the game and it's a combination of all the other cricket that we've played. So there are parts that you can take from the one day game that we can put into the Test match arena. It is what it is and, and I will continue to learn and grow as a leader hopefully throughout it,” Healy concluded.