India Test on Aussie minds in Melbourne

Australia are in the middle of a one-day contest against West Indies and have the Weber WBBL looming, but they are already starting to plan for December’s mooted day-night Test in India.

As the Australians hit the nets at Melbourne’s Junction Oval this week ahead of Thursday’s second CommBank ODI, pink balls were spotted among the white Kookaburras.

The Aussies will travel to India for a multi-format series comprising one Test, three ODIs and three T20Is across December and January.

Dates and venues for that tour have yet to be officially confirmed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, but Australia chief selector Shawn Flegler flagged last month the Test would be a day-night encounter played in the lead-up to Christmas.

On Tuesday, News Corp reported that game would likely be staged at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, as would the three ODIs, with the T20Is to be played across town at DY Patil Stadium.

Australia had a prolonged period of red-ball preparation leading into June’s one-off Ashes Test in Nottingham.

It was a one-eyed approach that paid off with their first Test win since 2015, a result that provided four crucial points in what was ultimately a drawn series, but one which the Australian camp later noted may have also been to the detriment of the white-ball formats that followed, with England winning four of six matches.

With the Weber WBBL to run from October 19 to December 2, an intense Test-focused preparation will not be an option this time.

Speaking to media on Wednesday, allrounder Annabel Sutherland said multi-tasking between formats would increasingly need to become the norm as the schedule became busier and busier.

When Australia return from India they will immediately begin a home multi-format series against South Africa, which will begin with the white-ball formats and conclude with a red-ball Test at the WACA Ground.

"The coaches thought it could be a good chance just to have a try of the pink balls," Sutherland told media on Wednesday.

"We had a (day-night) Test a couple of years ago against India on the Gold Coast and weren't able to get a lot of preparation in for that because of how short (the lead into) the series was with COVID.

"If you look at the men, they often swap between red and white ball within close windows of time so if we can get comfortable with the pink ball, red ball, white ball, whatever it is, it'll certainly make the lead-up into Test matches (easier) as they come.

"Any chance you get to play in India is one that you look forward to.

"The men's World Cup at the moment is one we're all keeping on eye on ... we'll be interested to see what sort of conditions we get at Wankhede."

Speaking to media last month, Flegler said Australia’s pace and spin bowlers would begin building up their loads throughout WBBL|09, to ensure they are ready for what will be a new experience for all players involved, given Australia’s last Test in India was in 1984, also at Wankhede.

A Test in India is a bucket list item for the Australian squad.

Another such experience is the prospect cricket’s return to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

The Games are five years away, but for Sutherland, who turns 22 on Thursday, it could fall just as the allrounder is reaching her prime.

"It is a while away, but a couple of the girls were mentioning it, sending text messages around and it's a pretty exciting prospect," Sutherland said.

"Being part of the Commonwealth Games last year was a really special thing for the group and coming away with the gold medal meant a lot to the group as well."

CommBank ODIs v West Indies 2023

First ODI: Australia won by eight wickets

Second ODI: October 12, Junction Oval, 10.05am AEDT

First ODI: October 14, Junction Oval, 10.05am AEDT

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

West Indies squad: Hayley Matthews (c), Shemaine Campbelle (vc), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Afy Fletcher, Cherry Ann Fraser, Shabika Gajnabi, Jannillea Glasgow, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack, Stafanie Taylor, Rashada Williams