| Healy eyes back-to-back World Cup glory, 2026 India series | | | 
Sydney, June 24: Australia women's team captain Alyssa Healy has ruled out retiring after the upcoming ODI World Cup, revealing that a series of injuries have only deepened her hunger to continue playing at least until the series against India in 2026.
The 35-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has battled a string of injuries since last year, starting with a stress fracture in her foot during the T20 World Cup, followed by a knee issue that sidelined her from multiple fixtures.
Healy, who has joked about contemplating retirement several times before, admitted she had initially considered bowing out after the ODI World Cup in India this year. However, her perspective has shifted.
"It's (retirement date) probably shifted a little bit. It's (injuries have) made me realise that I still want to do a little bit more than maybe what I thought," Healy told the Australian Associated Press (AAP).
Though she featured sporadically during Australia's victorious Ashes campaign at home, Healy missed tours to New Zealand and the Women’s Premier League in India.
"At the same time, sometimes there's stuff in life that are a little bit more important than pulling on the green and gold. So it's just a constant reassess.
"But at the moment I definitely want to play a home summer. I want to bring the World Cup home, but also to play against India (in 2026 at home),” she added.
Healy is expected to return to action in August, when Australia A face India A in Queensland.
Australia, the most decorated side in women's cricket, are now aiming to become the first team in nearly four decades to win back-to-back ODI World Cups, a feat that fuels Healy's determination.
"According to science, the ODI World Cups is one of the heaviest loads that we go through as cricketers. My aim is to play every game of that World Cup. So, to make sure I can do that is important."
"That was one of my goals, putting a timeline on it and saying this is where I could take this group, even not knowing what I was going to do personally," Healy said.
"It definitely was a big focus of mine, to get the group to a place to compete at this World Cup, and win the trophy
Healy said the goal had always been to guide this group to peak performance at the World Cup.
"It's not so much about the captaincy, or ticking one more box (at a personal level). It's just that I want to win a World Cup for Australia, and no one has gone back-to-back, which is a real motivator." (PTI)
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