Australia women’s side’s newly appointed all-format captain Sophie Molineux has been ruled out of the remainder of the ODI series against India and the one-off Test at the WACA due to lower back pain. Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed that she will continue to be monitored ahead of next month’s tour to the West Indies, where she is expected to lead across formats.
It’s an untimely setback for a player who was only recently entrusted with the captaincy following Alyssa Healy’s decision to step down after this India series. Molineux had been chosen ahead of Tahlia McGrath and Ashleigh Gardner in January, with selectors stressing that her workload would be carefully managed after previous knee issues limited her appearances over the past two seasons.
IND vs AUS: Injury concerns mount for Australia
The lower back problem adds to Australia’s already stacked fitness list. Ellyse Perry and Kim Garth have already been ruled out of the ODI series with quad injuries and remain doubtful for the Test. With Molineux now unavailable, all-rounder Nicola Carey has been drafted in as the only change to the XI that secured a six-wicket win in the opening ODI.
Molineux had featured in the early part of the India series, contributing modestly with bat and ball. In Brisbane on February 24, she returned figures of 1/17 in the ODI opener. During the T20Is, she picked up 2/37 in Canberra and 1/34 in Adelaide, while also chipping in with small cameos lower down the order. However, she has not played a Test or T20I regularly since 2024 because of a knee injury that also disrupted her Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) campaign.
India won the toss and opted to bat in the second ODI at Bellerive Oval in Hobart, with Harmanpreet Kaur declaring herself fit after a minor knee niggle. Shafali Verma has been rested, while Vaishnavi Sharma makes her ODI debut.
Australia Women XI: Alyssa Healy (c), Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Voll, Beth Mooney (wk), Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Nicola Carey, Alana King, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown.
India Women XI: Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Kashvee Gautam, Kranti Gaud, Vaishnavi Sharma, Shree Charani.
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