In a recent statement, Australian cricket captain Alyssa Healy has left the door open for Jess Jonassen’s return to the national team despite her omission from the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Jonassen, a seasoned left-arm spinner with 105 T20Is under her belt, was notably absent from the World Cup squad, marking a significant shift in Australia’s team dynamics.
Healy, speaking candidly about Jonassen’s exclusion, acknowledged the spinner’s past contributions and potential future role in the team. “One hundred percent, the path’s still there, the door is still wide open,” Healy stated. “You look at her career and how it’s progressed, particularly over the past five or six years, she’s been in the squad, out of the squad, her and Sophie Molineux have sort of [gone] tit-for-tat along the way.”
Jonassen’s omission came after a challenging period, including a tough outing against Hayley Matthews at North Sydney Oval, which led to her losing her spot in the T20I team last summer. Despite her strong performances in domestic leagues, such as taking 11 wickets in the WPL for Delhi Capitals and a standout performance in The Hundred for Welsh Fire, she has not been able to secure a place in the national squad.
“I’m disappointed for Jono myself,” Healy admitted. “I have played a lot of cricket with her over the years and know exactly what she can contribute to the Australian team in big tournaments and how clutch she can be. I still see a big future for her in the Aussie side. There’s always a niggle or whatnot around [during] the summer, and she’ll still be around this summer no doubt.”
The current Australian squad reflects a period of transition, with the retirement of key players like Rachael Haynes and Meg Lanning. Despite these changes, a strong core of experienced players remains, including Healy, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, and Megan Schutt. The team is also integrating new talents, such as Phoebe Litchfield, who has made a significant impact with a T20I strike rate of 161.86, and Annabel Sutherland, who delivered a Player-of-the-Tournament performance in The Hundred.
Healy also expressed excitement about the potential inclusion of fast bowlers Darcie Brown and Tayla Vlaeminck in the same XI, which could provide a significant advantage. “I’d love to see it,” Healy said. “We are so blessed with ample allrounders that I think we can play around a little bit with our fast-bowling attack. Having those two in our side is a huge point of difference, especially in [the] conditions potentially we are going to get. Having real pace in your side is a real advantage.”
Despite the changes and challenges faced by the Australian team, Healy remains optimistic about the future. “We’ve seen a fair bit of change,” she noted. “Even look at the last 12-18 months, the turnover we’ve had, we’ve lost over 700 games of experience. It’s got to come at some point in time, [but] fortunately, there’s still a few of us old birds still floating around who can hopefully impart some wisdom on how to win tournaments. The youth in our squad is really exciting and hopefully we can just help mentor or lead them in the right direction because I think the youth in our squad is going to win this World Cup for us.”
The Australian team’s preparations for the World Cup continue, with a T20I series against New Zealand in September serving as a key opportunity to fine-tune their strategies. The upcoming tournament will be a critical test for the evolving squad, and Healy’s leadership will be pivotal as they aim for success on the global stage.
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