Australia captain Meg Lanning makes comeback to cricket but left out of West Indies series, Alyssa Healy to lead

After a brief layoff from the international circuit and then getting injury inflicted, the Australia skipper Meg Lanning has finally started her comeback journey to cricket. Notably, after missing out on playing in the Women's Ashes earlier in July this year. Lanning took part in a domestic warm-up game held between Victoria and New South Wales.

Meanwhile, the Australia captain was omitted from the national squad on Friday, September 8, as the team was declared for the upcoming ODI and T20I series against West Indies starting next month. This indicates that she is still in her rehabilitation mode. Hence, in her absence, Alyssa Healy is expected to lead the team while star all-rounder, Ellyse Perry, who is nursing her knee injury is also expected to make a comeback during the series. Notably, Healy too has been undergoing her rehabilitation and is expected to get fully fit before the series resumes.

Notably, glancing at the Australia squad for the upcoming with West Indies, the team core has mostly remained unchanged except Lanning not present in the squad which played and successfully claimed the Women's Ashes in England. The legendary skipper was ruled out due to some medical issues which still remain unearthed. Besides, Lanning took part in a camp organised by Cricket Victoria last week on the renowned Sunshine Coast.

Meg Lanning played in a game against New South Wales barring the two games which were played last week. As for the Australian legend, the Victoria chief selector, Shawn Flegler, shared his views on her probable return. Flegler wants Lanning to start her comeback journey by testing her fitness in the domestic cricket circuit first and then gradually get back into the national side.

"That's the plan. We're hopeful she will come through domestic cricket first up and see how things progress," Flegler stated.

"She was up at the Sunshine Coast and I caught up with her there. She's progressing well, just part of that return-to-play plan. She's going well, Meg. We're very hopeful that she's back on deck at some point during the summer for Australia," the Cricket Victoria chief selector continued.

It was a great challenge throughout the Ashes, England certainly played very well: Flegler

Meanwhile, speaking on the Women's Ashes campaign and also on the upcoming challenges for Australian women, Shawn Flegler pointed out that the team have an important India tour along with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, next year. As per Flegler, the management reviewed the coveted Women's Ashes and arrived at the conclusion that the team have quality players who can bring glory to Australia. Albeit, Flegler also admitted that England Women played really well as compared to the visitors but the skills and quality the Australians are known for is already there to see.

"It was a great challenge throughout the Ashes. We didn't play at our best and England certainly played very well," Flegler. We reviewed that series, we still think we've got a great group of players who can take us through to the T20 World Cup (in Bangladesh next year)," Flegler further added.

"We want to give these players an opportunity to keep pushing the game style we want to play," he concluded.

Hence, the new players who have made it to the national side should get a longer rope to establish themselves further. Besides, reflecting on the squad selected for the upcoming home series against the West Indies, he believes there are no major changes made for the series. Notably, Australian women will lock horns with West Indies women, at the North Sydney Oval, on October 1.

Australia Women Squad for multi-format series versus West Indies:

Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath, Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham