Alyssa Healy backs Australia’s batting depth for the big test against India
Alyssa Healy isn’t worried about Australia’s top-order wobble early in the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup. With two wins from their first two games, she said the reigning champions have shown resilience and depth that will stand them in good stead for their biggest test yet against hosts India.
Top-order concerns acknowledged, confidence in the depth remains
Australia’s early victories came with dramatic rescue acts from Ash Gardner against New Zealand and Beth Mooney against Pakistan. In both games, lower-order contributions helped steady the ship when the going got tough, and Healy insists that this isn’t a sign of weakness but a feature of a strong side ready to adapt to varying match situations.
“We’re allowed to lose games of cricket and we’re allowed to be put under pressure at times, in particular in World Cups,” Healy said. “You’re going to be put under the pump in unfamiliar conditions, against unfamiliar sides at times. I really back our depth in our side and our squad, that the 11 we put out on the park are going to be able to get the job done for us.”
She stressed that, while the top order will always be expected to contribute heavily, the team’s capacity for different players to step up is a hallmark of Australia’s title-winning setup. “It’s something we’d like to rectify. I think it’s on our top order to make the bulk of the runs, and I think we can speak on that from both sides,” she added, indicating leadership and responsibility flow through the entire lineup.
India’s challenge, a global context for the World Cup
India has its own batting concerns, after a shock defeat to South Africa and a string of underwhelming performances from some of their best-known batters. Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues failed to fire in the latest outing, leaving veteran-to-be-in-waiting Richa Ghosh to deliver a 94 at number eight that wasn’t enough to seal the win.
Healy acknowledged India as a serious threat, noting how the host nation has built a deep and varied approach that’s become more potent after recent developments in women’s cricket leagues and preparation. “The rivalry continues to grow. I feel like India have been almost a sleeping giant in the women’s game for a long period,” she said, pointing to the impact of the Women’s Premier League and the evolving style they’ve embraced in this format.
A World Cup mindset: every match is a test against strong opposition
As Australia prepare to meet India in a sold-out clash, Healy underscored that no single team dominates in this World Cup. The tournament, she suggested, is shaping up as a contest of consistency and adaptability where every fixture tests different facets of a team’s game. “In their home conditions, they’re obviously going to play really well and be a real threat, but as we’ve seen throughout this World Cup so far, there are lots of teams that are pushing everybody,” she observed.
The veteran wicketkeeper-batter closed with a reminder that success in World Cups comes from collective performance. “We know we’re going to have to work hard in every fixture to get our result and that’s the way a World Cup should be,” Healy said, signaling that Australia’s championship mindset remains intact even if the path to victory isn’t linear.
