Healy out of first T20I with foot soreness, Ashes future in doubt

Alyssa Healy has been ruled out of tonight's opening Ashes T20I at the SCG and is in doubt for the remainder of the multi-format series after suffering foot soreness following Friday's third one-day international.

Healy reported pain in the same foot she injured during the T20 World Cup in October, when her campaign ended during the group stage after she ruptured her plantar fascia.

The Australian captain is currently being managed in a boot, with a statement from Cricket Australia saying: "CA's medical team is consulting with specialists to develop an appropriate management plan over the coming days. 

"Her availability for the remainder of the series will be assessed as more information becomes available."

Vice-captain Tahlia McGrath will lead Australia in Healy's absence, while Beth Mooney will take the wicketkeeping gloves as the hosts look to extent their 6-0 lead in the points-based series.

Australia have multiple options to replace Healy at the top of the order and could hand a T20I debut to Georgia Voll, who filled in for Healy during last month's ODI series against India and hit a century in her second match, or Grace Harris, who stepped up to open during the World Cup.

But they will also be looking ahead to the condensed schedule for the remainder of the series, with the second T20I to be played in Canberra on Thursday and the third in Adelaide on Saturday, ahead of the day-night Test at the MCG starting January 30.

Healy was not the only notable absentee from Australia's training session at the SCG on Sunday evening. Ashleigh Gardner started warming up with the squad but then sat out fielding and running drills and the net session that followed.

Australia will be sweating on her fitness following her player-of-the-match heroics in Friday's third ODI when she hit a maiden international century and took a brilliant catch on the boundary.

Healy's latest injury continues a torrid run for the Australian captain, who missed Australia's final group match and their semi-final loss after rupturing her plantar fascia while batting against Pakistan in Dubai.

The 34-year-old returned from the injury during the early stages of WBBL|10, only to be ruled out of the tournament with a knee injury.

She missed last month's ODI series against India due to the knee complaint, then returned as a specialist batter for the one-day tour of New Zealand that followed, before reclaiming the wicketkeeping gloves from Beth Mooney for the first Ashes ODI at North Sydney Oval earlier this month.

Commbank Women's Ashes 2025

Australia lead the multi-format series 6-0

First ODI: Australia won by six wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by 21 runs

Third ODI: Australia won by 86 runs

First T20I: January 20: SCG, Sydney, 7.15pm AEDT

Second T20I: January 23: Manuka Oval, Canberra, 7.15pm AEDT

Third T20I: January 25: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 6.45pm ACDT (7.15pm AEDT)

Australia squad (ODI/T20Is): Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris+, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

England squad (ODI/T20Is): Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross*, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson+, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath+, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp+, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith+, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

* ODIs only; + T20Is only

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

Australia Test squad: TBC

England Test squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

The rivalry resumes with a blockbuster series in Australia from Jan 12 - Feb 2. Learn about the remarkable 90-year history at the Women's Ashes Hub