Inaugural female Indigenous squad to tour India

Australia will send its first international female indigenous squad to India in May to take on local men's and women's sides in both the 20-over and 50-over formats.

The squad, headlined by rising Sydney Sixers star Ashleigh Gardner, will take on six teams including matches against the Cricket Club of India and Bombay Gymkhana men's teams.

Gardner, who scored 213 runs in the inaugural Rebel Women's Big Bash League, will captain the side after competing in her sixth National Indigenous Cricket Championships (NICC) in February.

The squad will be coached by four-time Australian Women's Cricketer of the Year Shelley Nitschke, who recently came out of retirement to play with the Adelaide Strikers and served as an assistant coach to Ryan Harris with the Cricket Australia XI under-19 team in Adelaide.

Coinciding with International Women's Day, the team was announced today at a special reception in Canberra hosted by Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd) and Her Excellency Lady Cosgrove.

The team has been selected based on performances at the recent NICC in Alice Springs – which had a record number of female participants – as well as performances at club level around the country.

Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said: "The team will build on the success and opportunities that the men's national Indigenous side has enjoyed, helping our most talented female Indigenous cricketers reach new heights through additional high performance opportunities.

"The first national Indigenous women's team comes at a time when both Indigenous and female cricket are thriving. Indigenous cricket participation has hit a record 26,000 participants and female participation – as cricket's fastest growing area – is also at record numbers of 290,000. We wish the team every success for the tour."

The tour comes 148-years after Australia's first ever cricketing XI toured England, comprising of an all-Indigenous men's squad led by all-rounder Johnny Mullagh.

The female squad will depart for India on May 18 for the 10-day tour.

Squad: Emily Bowden (WA), Sara Darney (NSW), Carly Fuller (QLD), Ashleigh Gardner (c, NSW), Jacinta Goodger-Chandler (VIC), Samantha Gordon (NSW), Haylee Hoffmeister (NSW), Febi Mansell (SA), Sally Moylan (vc, NT), Kavita Pepper (WA), Natalie Plane (VIC), Roxsanne Van-Veen (NSW), Taylor Wigg (TAS), Samara Williams (WA).