Alyssa Healy ruled out, Tahlia McGrath to lead Australia in 5th T20I vs India

Healy, who replaced Meg Lanning as captain for the tour, strained her calf while batting in the fourth T20I on Saturday.

Tahlia McGrath will captain the Australian women's side after a calf issue has forced Australia's interim captain Alyssa Healy to withdraw from Tuesday's fifth and final T20I match against India in Mumbai.

Australia's Tahlia McGrath plays a shot during the second women's Twenty20 international cricket match between India and Australia at the DY Patil stadium in Navi Mumbai on December 11, 2022. (Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE / AFP) / ----IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE----- (AFP)

Healy, who replaced Meg Lanning as captain for the tour, strained her calf while batting in the fourth T20I on Saturday.

Australia successfully defended 188 in the fourth T20I, Healy was unable to bat or field forcing McGrath to take over as captain. Beth Mooney, wicketkeeper for the Perth Scorchers in the WBBL, kept during the chase and will do so once again in the final game.

When Healy returns to Australia later this week, she will have scans done on her leg to establish the severity of the injury. In mid-January, Australia will host ODI and T20I series against Pakistan in preparation for the T20 World Cup in February.

Healy's injury means that her remarkable record streak of 107 straight T20Is for Australia will end.

McGrath seemed confident about taking over the captaincy reigns after maintaining composure on Saturday to take Australia to victory and leading Adelaide Strikers to the WBBL championship last month.

"I'm new to leadership in this team and been learning a lot on the fly and it probably worked in my favour that I didn't have long to think about it," McGrath told reporters in Mumbai on Monday. I was strangely calm out there, I had a lot of support. I had to try and stay calm and keep the team calm. I've come off the back of captaining Strikers for six weeks where it's high pressure. The best players in the world are there and that's what it felt like, I was captaining the Strikers with a few extra players," expressed McGrath as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Phoebe Litchfield, who made her international debut in game two of the series despite not batting, is set to receive a second chance.

Australia has a number of options, including Litchfield and Ellyse Perry, but are still unsure of who would open alongside Mooney.

"We haven't decided yet. But I think the good news is we've got a lot of options, whether Pheebs [Litchfield] comes in, she's done it in the Big Bash, myself, Pez [Perry]. We've got so many options but we'll have to wait and see," mentioned McGrath.