The vice-captain of Australia eagerly anticipates collaborating with captain Alyssa Healy, expressing a desire to alleviate some of the pressure from her shoulders.
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Australia all-rounder Tahlia McGrath finds India particularly meaningful. She served as the interim vice-captain during the women’s T20I series in Mumbai last year, stepping into the leadership position in the final game of the tour when Alyssa Healy was unavailable due to injury. This temporary leadership role for McGrath and Healy arose after Meg Lanning decided to step aside for personal reasons following Australia’s gold medal victory in the Commonwealth Games.
McGrath now stands as the leader in India a year later, holding the captaincy, while Healy serves as the vice-captain in the multi-format series kicking off with a lone Test at the Wankhede Stadium this Thursday. This marks their official roles after Lanning’s retirement, and McGrath’s ties to India deepen with UP Warriorz acquiring her for INR 1.4 crore in the inaugural WPL auction, surpassing Healy’s INR 70 lakh deal.
In 2020, Cricket Australia initiated a leadership pilot program in partnership with the Australian Cricketers Association and Belinda Clark’s project, The Leadership Playground. The objective was to foster and guide emerging female leaders within the Australian cricket framework. McGrath, recognized for her innate leadership qualities, was handpicked for the program, showcasing her potential even during her intermittent contributions to the Australian team earlier in her career.
Initially reserved, McGrath didn’t envision leadership in her path during her formative years. However, the mentorship under Clark proved transformative, altering her perspective and steering her towards a newfound embrace of leadership.
Just a few years back, if you had inquired about leadership being on my radar, it wasn’t even a consideration,” remarked McGrath on Tuesday following a training session. “I used to be the reserved, quiet one with not much to say. Some coaches noticed qualities in me that I may not have seen in myself.Subsequently, I had the fortune of participating in a mentorship program with Belinda Clark, which proved immensely valuable. The rapid progression in my leadership over the last two years is something I truly appreciate.”
In her captaincy debut post the women’s Ashes, McGrath took charge in an ODI against Ireland. Steering the Adelaide Strikers to WBBL finals in 2021, 2022, and 2023, she clinched the title twice in the last two seasons.”As a leader, my strength lies in maintaining a calm demeanor regardless of the situation,”
she noted. “I possess a steady grasp of the game’s dynamics. I’m all about building relationships, connecting with diverse individuals within the group, ensuring everyone is linked, and making certain we’re all on the right course.”
Currently, my primary focus is supporting Midge [Healy] in every possible way, as being the captain of an international side is an enormous responsibility. Given her role as a wicketkeeper, I’ll likely provide substantial assistance to the bowlers to streamline our efforts. It involves contributing ideas whenever possible and maintaining team morale, especially during extended fielding periods. My aim is to alleviate some of the pressure on her, serving as a sounding board, and offering insights whenever needed.
Engaging in Test match cricket is an exhaustive journey. Following the Trent Bridge encounter, I found myself more mentally and physically drained than ever before.
The Test format demands every ounce of your being—it stands as the pinnacle, testing both mental resilience and physical endurance to the fullest extent.
