A green-tinged pitch at Metricon Stadium could see as many as three young fast bowlers make their Test debuts for Australia against India on Thursday.
With Rachael Haynes ruled out of the remainder of the multi-format series with a hamstring injury, captain Meg Lanning hinted Australia may decide to replace the opener with a fast-bowling allrounder.
That would likely mean Beth Mooney moves up the batting order to open with Alyssa Healy leaving a gap in middle order that could be filled by Annabel Sutherland, Hannah Darlington or Nicola Carey.
Queensland opener Georgia Redmayne is in the squad as a specialist batting replacement for Haynes but Lanning was keeping her options open until after Australia’s final training session.
“There is a green tinge there so that potentially brings some of our sort of fast-bowling all-rounders into the frame,” said Lanning. “So we just need to decide if we want to go with that sort of specific batter position, or with the all-rounder."
A combination of lights, the pink ball and the rain that is forecast for the first two days of the match might prove to be a tempting cocktail for fast bowling and, if the pitch does look suited to pace, Australia may turn to teenage quicks Darcie Brown and Stella Campbell to round out their pace attack.
It would be a fresh look for the Australian fast-bowling line-up that will still have some Test match experience in the shape of Ellyse Perry and Tahlia McGrath, who looks a certainty to play after strong performances with both bat and ball in the ODI leg of the series.
Perry has struggled to find her radar in the series so far after adjusting her run up but spent a lengthy nets session working with fast-bowling coach Ben Sawyer and Mitchell Starc, who is in the camp accompanying his wife, Healy.
Legspinner Georgia Wareham is in a race to overcome a quadriceps strain and Australia will make a late call on her inclusion but are optimistic she will be fit to share spin duties with Sophie Molineux, while all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner will contribute with her offspin.
India captain Mithali Raj has rated her own bowling attack as one of the best she has seen in her 22 years playing in the national side.
The veteran Jhulan Goswami, still playing 18 years after making her international debut, was outstanding in the ODIs, opening the bowling with the impressive Meghna Singh.
Both players found lively swing with the new white ball and it was Goswami hit the winning runs to seal India’s victory in the third ODI, but Raj said she was also impressed by the batting of Pooja Vastrakar, the quickest of India’s bowlers.
“I think this should be one of the best fast bowling attacks that Indian team has,” said Raj. “Of course with the huge experience that Jhulan has been performing for the Indian team but a young speedster like Meghna Singh, who's come in her first series itself, she's been very impressive and Pooja Vastrakar, who's made a comeback after two years, we are trying to shape her into an all rounder.
“So these girls have been working very hard on their skills and I'm quite happy to see that, you know, the results are there to see for the team and for everybody.”
A Covid-19 outbreak in Brisbane that led to the postponement of Tasmania’s Sheffield Shield match against Queensland appears unlikely to have any material effect on the Test, with crowds still expected on the Gold Coast and no additional restrictions or protocols imposed on the teams. .
