Injured Healy, Gardner named in Aussie day-night Test squad

Alyssa Healy has been named in Australia's squad for next week's day-night MCG Ashes Test as a specialist batter, with selectors saying they will give her "every chance" to overcome foot issues and play in the historic match.

Cricket Australia has named a stable 13-player squad for the pink-ball match, with no changes to the group that swept the ODI leg 3-0 earlier this month despite injury concerns surrounding both Healy and star allrounder Ashleigh Gardner.

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

Australia captain Healy has been sidelined for the T20I leg of the series after reporting foot soreness following the third Ashes ODI in Hobart and is believed to be suffering a stress reaction, and if she is fit to lead her country in the Test, she will not keep wicket.

Beth Mooney will instead take the gloves, while 21-year-old Georgia Voll is a chance to be handed a Baggy Green after being named in her first Test squad.

Gardner is on track to be fit for the Test after missing the first two T20Is with a minor calf strain, and could return as early as Saturday's third and final T20I in Adelaide.

"We're pleased with the form of the 13 players that have taken part in the series to date and feel it's a squad that offers a variety of options when it comes to selecting the makeup of the Test side," Cricket Australia's Head of Performance and National Selector Shawn Flegler said.

"Alyssa has been named in the squad as a batter only and we'll give her as much time as we can to prove her fitness ahead of the match.

"Ash will continue to be assessed daily, and her availability for the 3rd T20 remains uncertain … at this stage she is on track to be available for the Test match.

"It's a reasonably experienced squad that has played Tests against India and South Africa in the last couple of years and one we think can beat England over the course of four days."

The match will be the first day-night Test at the MCG and the first women's Test match at the venue since 1948-49.

Australia will be forced to make one change from their most recent Test XI that defeated South Africa last February, with spin-bowling allrounder Sophie Molineux sidelined by a knee injury.

If Healy was to be ruled out of the Test all together, Voll would be set for a Test debut. Even if Healy does play, the Queenslander could still find her way into the XI.

Australia have opened with Beth Mooney and Phoebe Litchfield in their three most recent Test matches, after Healy dropped down the order to lighten her load of batting, 'keeping and captaining.

If Australia had similar concerns around Mooney's workloads, she could slide down the order – she bats at No.4 in ODIs – with Voll instead opening alongside Litchfield.

The other candidates to come into the XI are leg-spinner Georgia Wareham, whose sole Test appearance to date was against India in 2021, and Megan Schutt, who last played a Test in 2019.

Commbank Women's Ashes 2025

Australia lead the multi-format series 8-0

First ODI: Australia won by six wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by 21 runs

Third ODI: Australia won by 86 runs

First T20I: Australia won by 57 runs

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: 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 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 until Feb 2. Learn about the remarkable 90-year history at the Women's Ashes Hub