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AAP
Scott Bailey

Healy wants three-Test tours of India

Alyssa Healy (R) wants three-Test series between Australia and India. (Jason O'BRIEN/AAP PHOTOS)

Captain Alyssa Healy has called for Australia's Test series in India to be extended to three matches after her side's historic loss in Mumbai.

Playing their first Test in India since 1984, Australia were beaten by eight wickets on day four after a poor start left them on the back foot throughout the match.

The defeat was Australia's first in 11 Tests against India, with the hosts easily chasing down 75 in the fourth innings on Sunday.

All out for 209 in their first innings, Australia looked far more confident in their second effort of 261 despite the wicket showing more signs of wear.

And Healy believes three-Test tours of India would provide a better match-up between the two sides.

"It would create a real contest over three games," Healy said.

"That would be an unbelievable experience for our group, and probably a true test of of both sides' abilities. 

"The one-off Test, India playing in their home conditions, you'd expect them to be heavy favourites. 

"But the way we tried to adapt and continue to learn throughout the four days was really impressive.

"We would love to have another crack at it, show what we learned and put it into practice."

Healy is realistic in conceding her wish is unlikely to be granted.

The last women's Test series of more than one match was way back in 2006, while India had not hosted any red-ball cricket for nine years before this summer.

"The nature of the female game at the moment is it's very white-ball dominant," Healy said. 

"Trying to fit it all in to the calendar and fitting all the white-ball games in seems to take precedence. 

"But you take three one-day games out, and we could probably play two more Test matches."

Australia's captain is also insistent this Test should have formed part of a multi-format series, in the same way most top-tier women's tours are now conducted.

While one Test, three ODIs and three T20s will be played, each are individual contests rather than an overarching series in the same way the Ashes is decided.

Australia had taken the trophy used from the multi-format 2021-22 series against India to be contested, only to be told by authorities that system would not be used.

"I sit here disappointed that we couldn't win the Test match," Healy said. 

"But at the end of the day, we weren't necessarily playing for points, we weren't playing for overall series points for a trophy. 

"It does make it a little bit of a novelty in a sense.

"The fact that it sort of feels meaningless to a sense is really disappointing to me. But in saying that we are disappointed that we couldn't get ourselves over the line."

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