Phoebe Litchfield breaks silence on Meg Lanning naming her successor to Alyssa Healy as Australia’s ODI captain

Following Australiathe discouraging exit from the semi-final of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cupthe conversation quickly turned to the future direction of the national team. Australian cricket legend Meg Lanning sparked discussion by appointing a successor to the current captain Alyssa Healywho is nearing the end of his illustrious career.

Speaking to The ICC Review, Lanning identified a young opening batting Phoebe Litchfield as the ideal person for the top job. The high-profile endorsement has now prompted a response from the 22-year-old star himself, who shared his feelings about the prospect of one day leading his country while aiming for immediate redemption against the team that ended his World Cup dream.

Phoebe Litchfield’s response to Meg Lanning’s captaincy approval as Australia’s next ODI captain

Litchfield responded with a mixture of humility and quiet ambition to Lanning’s strong support as the next captain of the Australian women’s ODI team. While admitting that the prediction of a two-time World Cup-winning skipper made her nervous. Litchfield, who already has leadership experience as captain of the Sydney Thunder in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL)said she would seize the opportunity if it presented itself in the future.

In her full statement, she deflected individual praise and credited the collective leadership strength within the current team, showcasing the very temperament Lanning had praised. Speaking to The ICC Review, Litchfield said: “I look at our group, and we have so many natural leaders, I learn from them. And if the day came, I would definitely grab it with both hands. But I can assure you, like Ash Gardner, Sophie Molineux, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath, we just have an incredible group of beautiful leaders, and I look up to them. So if I end up having it (one day), it’s because of them.”

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Litchfield eyes India series for revenge in 2025 Women’s World Cup

While Lanning suggested it may be too early for the team to fully reflect on its semi-final defeat, Litchfield’s comments indicate the players are already channeling that disappointment to motivate themselves for their next major challenge: a multi-format series against India. Litchfield, who finished fifth as the World Cup’s top scorer, made it clear that the memory of the defeat is fresh and will fuel a “very heated” contest when the two teams meet again.

The young fly-half declared the team’s clear intention of retaliation, saying: “We’re looking forward to getting back at them, and we’ve had some really good form in all formats.” Australia is set to host the new World Cup champions for six white-ball matches (three T20Is and three ODIs) followed by a one-off Test in Perth, starting February 15.

Litchfield also praised the series’ multi-format structure as the ultimate test of a team’s overall strength, adding: “Multi-format series are great for women’s cricket, and it’s a really cool way to see who the best nation is. You have to pick a complete team that can compete in all three formats.” Its forward-looking statements demonstrate a clear desire to bounce back from recent heartbreak and reassert Australia’s dominance on the world stage.

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This article was first published on WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.