Australia women will have a new-look bowling line up for the multi-format series against India, with spearhead Megan Schutt opting out of the series to be with her pregnant partner.
Schutt has led Australia’s attack in recent years, often opening the bowling with her prodigious swing, but is understood to be concerned about possible border closures close to the date of her first child’s birth.
All-rounders Belinda Vakarewa and Jess Jonassen will also miss the series. Jonassen has been ruled out with a stress injury to her tibia that has developed during the off-season, while Vakawera has decided to sit out the series for personal reasons.
Stella Campbell and Georgia Redmayne will join the squad for the first time while Maitlan Brown will return from an extended period on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
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The absence of Schutt, in particular, opens up intriguing possibilities for the series. Brown is also a proficient swing bowler but coach Matthew Mott may turn to the pace of exciting youngsters Tayla Vlaeminck or Darcie Brown to take the new ball.
But National Selector Shawn Flegler has signalled that Campbell's pace and bounce could put her in contention for a Test debut at the WACA.
“Stella is yet another young fast bowler to have come through the pathway and adds another layer of depth to an emerging pace bowling group,” Flegler said.
“She’s a tall, bouncy fast bowler who we feel could be a real option throughout the series, particularly with the conditions in Perth.
“Having worked so hard to earn a call-up to the squad last summer, it’s great to have Maitlan back after suffering a long-term injury at a really unfortunate time.
We love the way she swings the ball early and the variety she offers and feel she’s someone that can be turned to in any format.”
Cricket Australia has named an eighteen-player squad for the seven matches across three formats, with uncertainty still surrounding interstate travel.
There have been no changes announced to the schedule, which starts with three ODIs in Sydney and Melbourne in September and then moves to Perth for the sole Test, before returning to Sydney for three T20 Internationals in October.
But current lockdowns in New South Wales and Victoria and strict entry requirements for Western Australia have cast doubt on whether the original schedule will be able to go ahead as planned.
Officials have yet to decide on whether DRS will be used throughout the series and if a points system, similar to the Women’s Ashes, will apply across all formats.
Australia Women's squad
Meg Lanning (Captain, Victoria), Rachael Haynes (Vice-Captain, New South Wales), Darcie Brown (South Australia), Maitlan Brown (New South Wales), Stella Campbell (New South Wales), Nicola Carey (Tasmania), Hannah Darlington (New South Wales), Ashleigh Gardner (New South Wales), Alyssa Healy (New South Wales), Tahlia McGrath (South Australia), Sophie Molineux (Victoria), Beth Mooney (Queensland), Ellyse Perry (Victoria)
Georgia Redmayne (Queensland), Molly Strano (Tasmania), Annabel Sutherland (Victoria), Tayla Vlaeminck (Victoria), Georgia Wareham (Victoria).
Commonwealth Bank Women’s ODI Series v India
September 19: North Sydney Oval (Day-night)
September 22: Junction Oval (Day)
September 24: Junction Oval (Day)
Commonwealth Bank Women’s Test v India
September 30 – October 3: WACA Ground (Day-night)Commonwealth Bank Women’s
T20I Series v India
October 7: North Sydney Oval (Night)
October 9: North Sydney Oval (Night)
October 11: North Sydney Oval (Night)
