Melbourne, 13 January (H.S.): Australia women's cricket team captain and legendary wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy has announced that she will retire from all formats of international cricket following the upcoming multi-format home series against India (February–March). However, she will not participate in the T20 matches of this series but will lead Australia in the ODIs and the sole day-night Test match in Perth.

Considering preparations for the 2026 T20 World Cup, Healy has decided to step away from T20 Internationals. The niece of Australia's former legendary wicketkeeper Ian Healy, Alyssa Healy made her international debut against New Zealand in 2010 at the age of 19. By the end of her career, she will have played 162 T20Is, 126 ODIs, and 11 Tests for Australia. She holds the record for 126 dismissals in T20I cricket.

Alyssa Healy assumed full-time captaincy of Australia in 2023 following Meg Lanning's retirement. Her biggest achievement as captain was a historic 16-0 clean sweep of the Ashes against England. Under her leadership, Australia reached the semifinals of the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup and the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup.

Ranked among women's cricket's most explosive batters and finest wicketkeepers, Alyssa Healy has been part of eight ICC World Cup-winning campaigns (six T20 and two ODI). She holds records including the highest individual score in a World Cup final and the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in women's T20Is. She was also a member of Australia's gold medal-winning team at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

On the individual awards front, Healy received the Belinda Clark Award in 2019 and was named ICC Women's T20I Cricketer of the Year in 2018 and 2019.In domestic cricket, representing Sydney Sixers, Alyssa Healy has scored over 3,000 runs in 11 seasons of the Women's Big Bash League and won two titles.

Additionally, she played two seasons of the Women's Premier League and captained UP Warriors.Announcing her retirement, Alyssa Healy said in an official statement, “With mixed emotions, I am saying that the upcoming series against India will be my last for Australia. I still love playing for my country, but that competitive edge that has driven me for so many years is no longer there. I feel this is the right time.”She added, “I will not be part of the T20 World Cup this year, and given the team's limited preparation, I will not play the T20 matches against India either. But ending my career captaining the ODI and Test teams on home soil will be special for me.”

Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg described Alyssa Healy as an “all-time great,” praised her impact on women's cricket, and stated that her contributions both on and off the field have been invaluable.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar