WACA Test a chance for rising stars to push for higher honours

The day-night Perth Test match could present Australia with an opportunity to add fresh faces to the national side, batter Beth Mooney says, as they start to turn an eye to the next generation.

Australia will meet India in the pink-ball game at the WACA Ground from March 6-9, in the finale to a multi-format series that will also feature three T20Is and three ODIs.

The series will have no shortage of feeling after Australia's shock ODI World Cup semi-final loss to India last month, with Harmanpreet Kaur's team going on to win their first ICC title.

"I think the scary thing about India now is they've been a little bit settled for a while with their selection calls and things like that," Mooney said in Melbourne on Wednesday, marking 100 days until the first ball is bowled in the WACA Test.

"It looks like they've got a pretty good style of play in all formats of the game.

"It'll be an epic contest across all format, and ending in a Test match at the WACA, which is really exciting

"(The World Cup) didn't pan out how we wanted them to in that semi-final, but at the same time, we're still playing a great brand of cricket in the 50-over format, and have found our way again in the T20 format as well, so I think it'll be a really exciting series across the board, and hopefully we get plenty of fans out to see us."

The multi-format series also comes at an interesting time for the Australian team across the three formats.

The three T20Is will be Australia's first games in the format in almost 12 months, and with a T20 World Cup looming in England in June, will be a crucial chance to test their plans and line-up against a strong opponent.

The one-dayers come at the start of a new 50-over format cycle, a four-year period that will likely see the Australian side undergo significant changes.

Meanwhile the scarcity of women's Tests, which unlike the men's game have no greater context in the form of a Test Championship, could offer the most freedom for selectors to look at new talent.

"I think it's a really great opportunity to get some players in and sort of blood them into the Australian team", Mooney said.

"Obviously, we're heading into a T20 World Cup year, so that's slightly different based on personnel.

"But I think certainly (the Test) is a great opportunity to get some young players around the group, give them some exposure and get them some opportunity in putting the Australian shirt on."

Trent Copeland has tipped uncapped left-arm quick Lucy Hamilton, 19, to force her way into calculations for Australia's Test squad, while WA fast bowler Chloe Ainsworth is another highly rated rising player.

Mooney was reticent to single out specific players she would see coming into the Australian side over the next year or two, but said she had been impressed by the up-and-coming talent on show in WBBL|11.

"There's plenty of young players out there who have been playing some unbelievable cricket this Big Bash," she said.

"I don't like to put too much pressure on some of those young players, but there's certainly plenty out there that will be pushing for selection, especially for that Test match."

Mooney meanwhile said she felt Australia were well-placed in their planning for the T20 World Cup, despite a heavy focus on 50-over cricket through 2025.

Australia, who now hold neither the T20 or ODI World Cups, will be desperate to win back the trophy that was claimed by New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates in 2024.

"It's a little bit of a weird one, knowing that we've only got six T20 internationals to play between now and our first T20 World Cup game," Mooney said.

"But I think we've moved along pretty nicely with our style of play in that format across the last 18 months since the last T20 World Cup.

"Our eyes had been on that ODI World Cup for a little while, and we were focused on that format, but it's probably not a bad thing that we're changing pretty quickly to a new one and a new tournament.

"I'm really excited to see what we go within those six T20s leading into that World Cup, and hopefully we can get a bit of a settled line-up and maybe some fresh faces in as well."

NRMA Insurance Women’s Multi-Format Series

Women's T20I Series v India

February 15: SCG, Sydney (N)

 

February 19: Manuka Oval, Canberra (N)

 

February 21: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (N)

Women's ODI Series v India

February 24: Allan Border Field, Brisbane (D/N)

 

February 27: Bellerive Oval, Hobart (D/N)

 

March 1: Bellerive Oval, Hobart (D/N)

Women's Test v India

March 6-9: WACA Ground, Perth (D/N)