Huge call looms as selectors mull Healy's successor

Alyssa Healy's impending retirement has left national selectors with an enormous decision to make just months out from the 2026 T20 World Cup, as they consider their options for Australia's next full-time captain.

While Healy will end her international career by leading her country in the ODI and Test legs of the upcoming multi-format series against India, her T20I retirement has been effective immediately, giving Australia more time to adjust ahead of the upcoming ICC tournament in the UK.

It means they will need to appoint a new T20I captain in the next few weeks, ahead of the first 20-over game against India at the SCG on February 15. That player would then likely lead Australia across all formats during their tour of the Caribbean in March and April, and onto the World Cup starting on June 13.

Australia will play just six T20Is before their opening World Cup game against South Africa, providing little time for the new leader to settle in.

However, Healy's announcement will not have caught selectors entirely by surprise – she has long insisted she had a private end date in mind, and she offered a public glimpse into her thinking midway through 2025 when she expressed her desire to feature in last year's ODI World Cup and next month's multi-format series but did not commit beyond that.

On Tuesday, she revealed her decision had been "a long time coming" and that across the last three months she had settled on the timing.

Australia have made a concerted effort to nurture the next generation of leaders across the past five years, with players identified of captaincy potential – either at state or national level – taking part in a leadership program where they received mentoring from Australia legend Belinda Clark, while also taking on captaincy positions within their respective state and Big Bash teams.

Current vice-captain Tahlia McGrath and Sydney Sixers skipper Ashleigh Gardner lead the list of candidates, alongside younger contenders Phoebe Litchfield and Annabel Sutherland.

Allrounder McGrath, 30, has filled in for Healy on 15 occasions in recent years, having been appointed full-time vice-captain in 2023, in the midst of a stellar run with the bat in the top order.

However, she has endured a tough run of form across the past 12 months, moving down to No.6-7 in the T20I and ODI sides as others including Sutherland have earned promotions up the order, while having limited opportunity or impact with the ball.

Despite working hard on her finishing game to adapt to her new role with the bat, the South Australian last month admitted she was low on confidence after a difficult World Cup campaign in October.

Gardner, 28, was handed the Sydney Sixers captaincy for the recent WBBL season, taking over from Ellyse Perry and impressing as she guided the team into its first finals campaign since 2022.

One of Australia's most dominant all-round players across all formats in recent years, Gardner has served as vice-captain under McGrath on occasion when Healy has been absent. 

Speaking last month – before she was aware of Healy's impending retirement – Gardner said she was up for the job if offered.

"It's probably not something that I've thought about too much," she said.

"But if the opportunity came, I would certainly say that I would want to do it and make sure that I was doing all the right things to be given the opportunity.  

"It's not something that I ever had ambitions to do, but if the opportunities come up, absolutely, I'd be happy to do that.

"So, whatever the team needs, I'll try to perform for whatever that looks like."

If Gardner was appointed she would become the first Indigenous captain of either the men's or women's Australian cricket teams.

Litchfield, 22, could be looked at as a younger option to usher in a new era for the Australian team, having captained the Sydney Thunder in the last two WBBL seasons, while Sutherland, 24, has also led the Melbourne Stars since 2024.

Healy said she was satisfied she would leave the team "in a great place moving forward" but would not be drawn on who should replace her, stating at her Tuesday media conference that the call was "up to people paid a lot more than me".

"Those discussions will be had behind closed doors at the moment about who's going to step into that role and lead the team in a (T20) World Cup, which is really exciting for that next group of young leaders within our side," Healy said.

"There's plenty in there. I feel really lucky to have been able to be a part of creating an environment where young leaders are able to flourish and express themselves and hopefully become the next Australian captain and do some amazing things.

"T-Mac ... (her) greatest quality outside of her tactical nous is how cool, calm and collected she is under pressure," Healy said.

"She showcased that over the last sort of 12 to 18 months. When I've missed games here and there, her ability to step in and take charge and do it her own way has been really impressive.

"She's done an outstanding job, and I think her confidence has continued to grow in that space."  

Healy's retirement will likely see 22-year-old Georgia Voll appointed full-time white-ball opener, with Beth Mooney the obvious wicketkeeping candidate, having stepped in with the gloves when her skipper has been sidelined by injury in recent years.

Voll made her Australian debut across all formats during the 2024-25 summer when filling in for Healy, including in Australia's six most recent T20Is.

Australia v India multi-format series 2025-26

February 15: First T20 v India, SCG, 7:15pm AEDT

February 19: Second T20 v India, Manuka Oval, Canberra, 7:15pm AEDT

February 21: Third T20 v India, Adelaide Oval, 7:15pm AEDT

February 24: First ODI v India, Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 2:50pm AEDT

February 27: Second ODI v India, Bellerive Oval, Hobart, 2:50pm AEDT

March 1: Third ODI v India, Bellerive Oval, Hobart, 2:50pm AEDT

March 6-9: Test match v India, WACA Ground, 4:20pm AEDT (D/N)