MCG Test the goal as Healy, McGrath prepare for hectic summer

Alyssa Healy and Tahlia McGrath are perhaps the two most notable names missing from this year's women's Hundred, with Australia's brains trust opting for a different route towards the T20 World Cup and Ashes.

While the majority of their national teammates opted to play in the English domestic tournament following a long off-season – Australia's last tour was in March – ahead of the ICC tournament in October, Healy and McGrath instead chose to extend their time at home.

For Healy, there was the chance to spend all-too-rare time with husband Mitchell Starc, while the 34-year-old Australian captain was also cognisant of the need to ensure she will still be fit, energised and hungry throughout what will be a packed summer.

Six months from today, the multi-format women's Ashes will culminate with day one of an historic day-night Test at the MCG.

Between now and then, Healy and her teammates will navigate a home T20 series against New Zealand, the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, Weber WBBL|10, and ODI series against both NZ (away) and India at home – all before the Ashes get underway with an ODI at North Sydney Oval on January 12.

"I had a few little niggles that needed to have some time to heal, so I've been lucky enough to be at home and most importantly, spend some time at home, but also just try and get my body right for what's going to be another big 12 to 18 months on the road," Healy told cricket.com.au at the MCG this week.

"I think I probably also underestimated just what I was getting myself into in the captaincy department, so for me to take a little opportunity to reset and probably refocus as well and get myself right physically and mentally, was probably the most important thing.

"I'm itching for the summer to start, so I'm glad that I took the opportunity to step away for a minute."

McGrath was also eager to "bank as much time at home as possible" before the 2024-25 season gets underway, and her World Cup preparation will see her captain Australia A in one-day and T20 series against India A in Brisbane next month.

Like Healy, the Australia vice-captain is determined to make sure she will be fit and firing for the pink-ball MCG Test.

McGrath has yet to play international cricket at the ground, having earned her Australian recall in late 2020, six months after Australia defeated India in the T20 World Cup final in front of 86,174 fans at the MCG.

"It's been really nice just to go tools down, reset, come back fresh and have what I feel like has been my first preseason in about four or five years with an extended period of time at home to work on a few things," McGrath told cricket.com.au.

"Looking at the calendar ahead, it's a crazy schedule, so this was just a really good opportunity to be fresh for a really big summer of cricket.

"When there's a summer with a World Cup and an Ashes, it's a really big one, so I'm trying not to look too far ahead and just taking it series by series.

"Test match cricket at the MCG is probably the pinnacle, and to hopefully be able to play one here will a highlight in my career."

Healy said she believed both Australia and their fans would have a point to prove across the multi-format series.

In England last year, a stirring fightback from the hosts saw them come from 6-0 down in the points-based series to win four of the final five white-ball games and level the series 8-8.

A draw was enough for Australia to retain the Ashes, but Healy wants better on home soil this time around.

"It was cool to come away with the trophy, but also a bit flat at the end of the day to feel like we could have won it properly," Healy said.

"These are the little moments throughout your career where you get to reset, and I think that was a really big one for us. I've seen the team change the way that we think about the game and the way we want to play it as well since that Ashes so I'm excited for what we can do."

The 2023 UK series was also played in front of record crowds at famous venues including Lord's, The Oval and Edgbaston.

With this summer's Ashes heading to some of Australia's largest grounds – the SCG and Adelaide Oval will host T20Is alongside the MCG test – Healy implored local fans to turn out in droves.

"I think Aussie fans underestimate just how hostile the crowds were over in the UK," Healy said.

"Obviously, the infamous (Bairstow) stumping didn't help that, but they really get behind their English cricketing teams over there and I think it's a great opportunity for our fans to get one back and say, 'You know what, we've got our cricketers' backs as well' and come out here and show us some support.

"We've seen a real influx of crowds back to all the other sports and it would be great to see people at the cricket throughout the summer."

Commbank Women's Ashes 2025

First ODI: January 12: North Sydney Oval, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT

Second ODI: January 14: CitiPower Centre, Melbourne, 10.05am AEDT

Third ODI: January 17: Bellerive Oval, Hobart, 10.05am AEDT

First T20I: January 20: SCG, Sydney, 7.40pm AEDT

Second T20I: January 23: Manuka Oval, Canberra, 7.40pm AEDT

Third T20I: January 25: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 7.10pm ACDT (7.40pm AEDT)

Day-night Test: January 30 - February 2: MCG, Melbourne, 2.30pm AEDT