Dominant Australia crush India inside three days in Alyssa Healy's farewell Test

Alyssa Healy was denied a farewell appearance at the crease, yet the retiring Australian skipper concluded her storied international career in triumphant fashion as Australia overpowered India inside three days in the one-off day-night Test at the WACA Ground in Perth.

The comprehensive victory secured a decisive 12-4 points win for Australia in the multi-format series, capping a remarkable turnaround.

After seamer-friendly conditions dictated the opening two days on the grassy surface, spinners Alana King and Ashleigh Gardner wrapped up the Indian second innings just over an hour into the final morning, claiming the last four wickets.

Debutant number three, Pratika Rawal, provided the sole resistance with a composed knock of 63 from 137 balls. Her dismissal, the last of the innings, left India with a paltry lead of just 24 runs.

Having led her team from the field to a thunderous ovation, Healy resisted any temptation to don the pads for a final time, watching on as regular openers Georgia Voll and Phoebe Litchfield completed the formality of the chase.

Voll survived an early scare, successfully reviewing an lbw decision off debutant Sayali Satghare – who had impressed with four wickets in the first innings – as she and Litchfield made light work of the target.

In the aftermath, Healy was engulfed by her team-mates, with Gardner and Ellyse Perry lifting her onto their shoulders in a fittingly heartwarming tribute to one of the game's greats.

The result sealed a superb resurgence for Australia, who had begun the series sluggishly with a 2-1 defeat in the T20I leg, an inauspicious start to Sophie Molineux's captaincy tenure.

Healy's return to the side proved the catalyst, inspiring a 3-0 whitewash of the World Cup champions in the ODI leg before securing Australia's first Test victory over India since 2006.

Annabel Sutherland was the undoubted star with a phenomenal all-round display, stroking an imperious 129 before claiming remarkable match figures of 6 for 61 from 23 overs.

For India, returning to Test cricket for the first time since mid-2024, it was a disappointing end to an impressive unbeaten run that had stretched back to February 2006.

Their last defeat in the format had also come against Australia, in Adelaide, ending a sequence of nine straight matches without loss. There were, however, encouraging signs from debutants Rawal, Satghare, Kranti Gaud, and Kashvee Gautam.

Resuming their second innings on a forlorn 105-6, still 20 runs adrift of making Australia bat again, India's slender hopes rested on the defiant Rawal and the experienced Sneh Rana. The pair had held firm under lights on day two to prolong the contest.

Local favourite Alana King, having bowled only three overs in the match prior to the final morning, was introduced to the attack promptly and immediately found sharp turn to repeatedly beat the outside edge.

Unlike several of her more seasoned colleagues, the 21-year-old Rawal appeared unfazed, defending stoutly while punishing the occasional loose delivery to bring up a well-deserved maiden Test fifty from 105 balls.

The first breakthrough came courtesy of Darcie Brown, who induced an edge from Rana to second slip. Sutherland, diving high to her right, could not cling on to a spectacular one-handed chance.

Rana's luck was short-lived, however; after another edge flew agonisingly between 'keeper and first slip, she was comprehensively bowled by Gardner from the very next delivery.

Gautam, who had compiled a vital unbeaten 34 in India's first innings, had no answer to King's spin and departed for a duck before King returned to finally end Rawal's valiant resistance.

The truncated contest also served as the long-awaited official launch of the redeveloped WACA Ground.

Despite sweltering conditions, patrons relished the new outdoor pool and waterslides in the terraces, with crowds of approximately 3,500 attending each of the first two days at the 10,000-capacity venue.

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