As she has done throughout her decorated cricketing career, Alyssa Healy got the timing just right with her departure.
Fulltime captain since 2023, the 15-year veteran of the champion national women's team will leave on her own terms, revealing she had been pondering retirement for three months once it became clear her competitive drive was gradually ebbing away.
Healy's final match is set to be the sole Test, from March 6-9 in Perth, of the upcoming multi-format home series against India.
"Every contest I wanted to be a part of and wanted to compete and it's probably drained me a bit more over the years," she told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.
"The opportunity to finish at home is something I really wanted to do."
Healy insisted the prospect of stepping away was not worrying her and instead was looking forward to a rousing send-off.
"When it comes to retirement, it's quite daunting for a lot of people, but standing here right now, I'm really excited," she said.
But the 35-year-old was tight-lipped when asked about her plans beyond playing.
"I don't really have to answer that I suppose, which is the really exciting thing," Healy said.
"I don't know what the future looks like for me."
"I've been fortunate enough to have had a lot of opportunities outside of the game in the last 12 to 18 months."
"But I still feel like I can contribute to the game ... it's given me so much and I still owe a lot to cricket."
Expanding a burgeoning media career could be on the cards for Healy, who has proven a fine commentator this Ashes summer for Fox Cricket alongside co-hosting her popular podcast.
She has previously mentioned desire to start a family after retirement with her husband, fellow cricket star Mitchell Starc.
The toll of repeatedly coming back from injuries was getting harder as her career wore on.
Persevering through to the T20 World Cup, in England in June-July, would not have felt right while she was lacking some of her previous drive.
"We're able to take the group and lead this next generation into doing their own thing," Healy said.
Healy will finish with more than 7000 international runs and 275 dismissals to her name.
She is likely to end her career on 299 international matches after ruling out participating in the T20 games against India so as not to impact the team's preparations for the T20 World Cup, where Australia will have a new captain.
Ashleigh Gardner and Tahlia McGrath are the main contenders to take over as skipper, with Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland and Phoebe Litchfield other options.
Healy was awarded the 2019 Belinda Clark Award and was twice named ICC Women's T20I Cricketer of the Year.
Alongside Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry, she was one of the key leaders of Australia's all-conquering era who took the women's game to new heights.
The wicketkeeper-batter was player of the final in the Australia's 2022 ODI World Cup triumph and also played in six T20 World Cup-winning campaigns.
"Alyssa is one of the all-time greats of the game and has made an immeasurable contribution both on and off the field over her 15-year career," said Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg.
"On behalf of Australian Cricket, I'd like to thank Alyssa and congratulate her on an incredible career that has inspired so many and changed the game for the better."
