Georgia Voll bolts into Aussie squad as Healy replacement

Georgia Voll has bolted into Australia's ODI squad and will debut against India next month, with skipper Alyssa Healy to miss the three-game series as she continues her recovery from a knee injury.

It is hoped Healy will return for the three one-dayers against New Zealand in Wellington that will immediately follow, with vice-captain Tahlia McGrath to lead Australia against India, with Ashleigh Gardner serving as deputy while Beth Mooney will take the wicketkeeping gloves.

Australia ODI squad: Alyssa Healy (NZ series only, pending fitness), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll (India series only) Georgia Wareham

Healy was last week ruled out of the remainder of WBBL|10 after a minor knee niggle suffered in a game earlier this month intensified. The Australian captain was already carefully managing the foot injury that saw her ruled out of the end of the T20 World Cup.

CA revealed the squads for the back-to-back white-ball tours on Saturday, confirming Voll would open the batting alongside Sydney Thunder teammate Phoebe Litchfield against India.

Queensland and Sydney Thunder opener Voll, 21, has been increasingly touted as a future Australia player.

The right-hander has been enjoying a breakout WBBL season after moving to the Thunder, hitting 299 runs at a strike rate of 145.85 in nine innings.

Voll also started this year’s 50-over Women’s National Cricket League in dominant fashion, hitting 201 runs in four innings prior to the WBBL break.

She struck 459 runs at an average of 41.72 in the 2023-24 WNCL season, including two centuries.

"We've chosen an experienced squad for these two upcoming tours with next year's Ashes series and ICC Women's World Cup very much very much the focus," Cricket Australia's head of performance and national selector Shawn Flegler said.

"Georgia Voll has had a strong start to the summer and has shown her potential over several years.

"She'll form an exciting partnership with Phoebe Litchfield at the top of the order in what will be a great opportunity for her to get a taste of international cricket against a strong India side.

"The decision for Alyssa Healy to miss the India series was made with a longer-term view to the Ashes, with her availability for the New Zealand series to become clearer over the next few weeks."

Sophie Molineux and Darcie Brown, whose Big Bash seasons have also been interrupted by injury, have been included in a 13-player group for the six upcoming matches.

Molineux missed four consecutive Renegades matches due to knee soreness but returned to lead the club against Hobart Hurricanes on Thursday night.

Brown has missed the Strikers' past three matches due to a hip muscle strain but has resumed training.

"Sophie has returned to play following knee soreness which will continue to be managed over the course of the summer," Australia women's team physiotherapist, Kate Beerworth said.

"Darcie has resumed training following a hip muscle strain and is on track for both series."

Australia will host India in three ODIs starting December 5, with two games to be played at Brisbane's Allan Border Field and one at the WACA Ground.

They will then travel to Wellington to play three ODIs in the space of five days at the Basin Reserve, before returning home on Christmas Eve.

Australia have named an otherwise consistent squad featuring only two changes to the group that featured in their last one-day series in Bangladesh in March, with Tayla Vlaeminck to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 summer after undergoing successful surgery on the injured shoulder that ended her World Cup.

Speaking on The Surge Big Bash podcast last week, Voll said while her goal was Australian selection, it had not been front of mind as she focused on performing for the Thunder and Queensland.

"That's my goal, to get (picked for) Australia," Voll said.

"But I think for me, the best thing is to stay right in the moment. I’ve focused on that very heavily in the last couple of years, just on who I'm playing for and what job that I have to do for them, and scoring some runs in WNCL, and Big Bash now.

"Hopefully if I can continue doing that, that'll be an opportunity one day."

Australia will be determined to ensure Healy, Molineux and Brown are fit for the multi-format Ashes starting on January 12.

The two ODI series are Australia’s final legs of the 2022-25 ICC Women’s Championship cycle.

The Championship is a quadrennial round-robin tournament played between the world’s top 10 teams, with each three-game ODI series worth points that determine ODI World Cup qualification.

Australia are currently top of the Championship table with 28 points from 18 matches and have already confirmed their place at the 2025 World Cup in India next October.

However, after winning the first two Championship cycles, they will be eager to finish on top and make it three from three.

India are third on the table with 25 points from 15 matches – and automatically qualify as hosts – while New Zealand are in a more precarious position sitting sixth with 20 points from 21 matches.

The top five teams plus hosts India will advance directly to the World Cup, while the other four sides will head to the qualifying tournament.

Commbank Women's ODI series v India

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

India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Priya Punia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma, Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra, Radha Yadav, Titas Sadhu, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Saima Thakor

First ODI: December 5: Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 3.20pm AEDT

Second ODI: December 8: Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 10.45am AEDT

Third ODI: December 11: WACA Ground, Perth, 3.20pm AEDT

Commbank tour of New Zealand

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

First ODI: December 19: Basin Reserve, Wellington, 9am AEDT

Second ODI: December 21: Basin Reserve, Wellington, 9am AEDT

Third ODI: December 23: Basin Reserve, Wellington, 9am AEDT

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