‘Long live Test cricket’: Alyssa Healy bids farewell

New Delhi: Alyssa Healy ended her international career as she led the Australia women’s national cricket team to a 10-run win over India in a one-off Test at the WACA Ground. The victory marked the end of Healy’s 16-year international career.After the match, the Australia captain said she was proud of the team’s bounce-back after struggling in the T20 leg of the tour. “I’m really pleased with the effort. Coming back from the T20 series I sensed a little bit of disappointment and a little bit of uncertainty going into the group. But the way they’ve reacted, performed and played the last four games has been unbelievable and I’m really proud of it,” Healy said in his farewell speech.See also: India vs New Zealand 2026 T20 World Cup Final Live Score

Healy also used the moment to highlight the importance of Test cricket in the women’s game. “I think the white ball doesn’t really give us batsmen or opportunities to build an innings. It’s really important to learn how to play the longest format of the game. Long live Test cricket, hopefully we’ll see more of that,” Healy said.The 35-year-old admitted the emotional moment, just before she addressed the team for the final time, truly shook her. “Honestly, just before I got into the dressing room again and was with the girls, it just occurred to me. I’m going to enjoy this next little while and sing the team song one last time. But I’m really excited to see this team moving forward,” she said, adding that she believed the team would achieve “great things” under new captain Sophie Molyneux.Healy also thanked the fans and praised the Indian team for playing in a tight schedule. “When you represent your country and compete at the highest level, you’re kind of in this bubble. You just want to win games and compete, and you might not realize what’s going on out there. The love and support I’ve felt over the past week has been amazing,” she said.She added: “Thanks to the Indian team. The women’s game has a tight schedule. Coming here after a busy WPL, fighting in a T20 series and staying here for five weeks is a huge effort. I wish you all the best for the mid-year World Cup. “In this match, India were bowled out for 149 and Australia had a small target of 25 runs but they chased it down in less than 5 overs. Annabel Sutherland starred with a century and six wickets to win Player of the Match and Player of the Series. As the celebrations in Perth came to an end, Healy shared an emotional moment with his teammates, bringing the curtain down on his remarkable career.