Australian captain Meg Lanning will make her return from injury next month with the star batter included in the Australian women’s ODI and T20 squads for the upcoming limited-overs tour of India.
Lanning had been sidelined since August with a shoulder injury which hampered her in the 2017 Women’s World Cup. She underwent surgery following that tournament which ruled her out of Australia’s successful Women’s Ashes campaign and the entire WBBL.
Lanning was hoping to tune-up her game for Victoria in the Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL), however, was not selected as a precautionary measure, meaning her first taste of cricket in seven months will be in the ODIs.
Speaking on Lanning’s return, selector Shawn Flagler said, “Meg’s rehab has been progressing well, she’s back to her old self with the bat and with a few weeks until the first match, we’re confident she’ll be right to play when the times comes”.
Rachel Haynes, who was the side’s stand-in skipper during the Ashes in Lanning’s absence, has been named as vice-captain in both the T20 and ODI squad, following the recent retirement of former deputy skipper Alex Blackwell.
“Meg will resume the captaincy and we’re extremely fortunate to have Rach as her deputy after doing a fantastic job as stand-in skipper during the Women’s Ashes. She’ll be a great sounding board for Meg and will continue to drive the standards of the team.”
Victoria’s Sophie Molineux could make her Australian debut in both formats, after being named in the Australian squad for the first time in her young career.
The 20-year-old has been called-up to the side after a breakout season in the WBBL with the Melbourne Renegades, in which she was named as the best young player of the tournament. Molineux scored 318 runs and took six wickets for the Renegades.
Australia will face off against India in three ODI matches as part of the ICC Women’s Championship. The top four sides in the Championship will gain automatic qualification for the 2021 Women’s World Cup.
After the ODIs against India, Australia will face England and India in a Twenty20 international tri-series.
ODI squad
Meg Lanning, VIC (c)
Rachael Haynes, NSW (vc)
Nicole Bolton, WA
Nicola Carey, NSW
Ashleigh Gardner, SA
Alyssa Healy, NSW
Jess Jonassen, QLD
Sophie Molineux, VIC
Beth Mooney, QLD
Ellyse Perry, NSW
Megan Schutt, SA
Belinda Vakarewa, NSW
Elyse Villani, WA
Amanda-Jade Wellington, SA
T20 tri-series squad
Meg Lanning, Perth Scorchers (c)
Rachael Haynes, Sydney Thunder (vc)
Nicola Carey, Sydney Thunder
Ashleigh Gardner, Sydney Sixers
Alyssa Healy, Sydney Sixers
Jess Jonassen, Brisbane Heat
Delissa Kimmince, Brisbane Heat
Sophie Molineux, Melbourne Renegades
Beth Mooney, Brisbane Heat
Ellyse Perry, Sydney Sixers
Megan Schutt, Adelaide Strikers
Naomi Stalenberg, Sydney Thunder
Elyse Villani, Perth Scorchers
Amanda-Jade Wellington, Adelaide Strikers
6 March: Warm-up match v India A, BKC Ground, Mumbai
8 March: Warm-up match v India A, BKC Ground, Mumbai
12 March: First ODI, Vadodara International Cricket Stadium*
15 March: Second ODI, Vadodara International Cricket Stadium*
18 March: Third ODI, Vadodara International Cricket Stadium*
T20I Tri-Series (Australian fixtures only)
22 March: Australia v India, Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
23 March: Australia v England, Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
26 March: Australia v India, Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
28 March: Australia v England, Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
31 March: Final, Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, Mumbai
*ICC Women’s Championship matches
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