Australia Captain Alyssa Healy Out of WBBL, ODI Series in Doubt

Australia captain Alyssa Healy has been ruled out of the remainder of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) 2024 due to a knee injury, casting doubt on her availability for the upcoming ODI series against India. The 34-year-old, who has been managing multiple injuries this season, will undergo further assessments to determine the timeline for her return to competitive cricket.

Healy played in just four of the Sydney Sixers’ seven games so far, relinquishing wicketkeeping duties in the match against Brisbane Heat due to her condition. She had been battling a lingering foot injury, which had already sidelined her during the latter stages of Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign in the UAE last month. Healy had openly acknowledged before the WBBL season that her participation would require careful injury management throughout the home summer.

In early November, Healy expressed her frustrations with the challenges of balancing injury recovery and game time. “I want to be available for as much of the summer as I can,” she said. “I’ve hardly played a game for the Sixers in the past two seasons… How I pull up from games is going to be really important.” Unfortunately, her latest setback has curtailed her WBBL campaign entirely.

The injury puts Healy’s participation in Australia’s upcoming international fixtures in jeopardy. The ODI series against India begins on December 5 at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane, just days after the conclusion of the WBBL. Australia’s packed schedule also includes three ODIs in New Zealand before the highly anticipated multi-format Ashes series against England, starting January 12.

Tahlia McGrath, who led Australia during Healy’s absence in the T20 World Cup, is expected to take over as captain should Healy be unavailable for the India series or other forthcoming assignments.

Healy’s absence is a significant blow to both the Sydney Sixers and the national team, as her leadership and experience are integral to Australia’s plans. As fans and teammates await updates on her condition, the cricketing world hopes for her speedy recovery and return to action.