Litchfield finding balance in Aussies' attacking brand

Litchfield reflects on ‘rewarding’ win in tough, humid conditions

Phoebe Litchfield has admitted she had to tamp down some of her more unconventional impulses throughout her match-winning knock in Australia’s first ODI win over India on Sunday.

To the outside observer, the opener looked to have near seamlessly made the switch back to the 50-over format after her star turn in The Hundred, where she was crowned player of the tournament.

Speaking post-match, Litchfield felt there was still some adjusting left to do – she was denied a third ODI century when she miscued her favoured reverse sweep on 88 – however, the 22-year-old’s 80-ball innings was an ideal start to her campaign in India.

“That was the biggest thing that I learned today, that my brain was probably going a bit quicker than it needed to, especially for the format – 50-over cricket’s a long game,” Litchfield said of the change from The Hundred to one-day cricket.

“Knowing that you’ve got a lot of time, (you) can pace your innings in that sense.

“But equally, we want to move the game forward and play an attacking brand of cricket, so I’ve just got to find the balance between that.

“I just tried to take the game on and get the team ahead of the rate … I probably got a bit fixated on the reverse (sweep), but I back that shot.”

The unfamiliar conditions of Chandigarh’s Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium – hosting its first international game – was a world away from Headingley, where Litchfield dominated for Northern Superchargers last month, as was the intense humidity that confronted Australia in their first game of a seven-week subcontinent tour.

Ellyse Perry was forced to retire on 30 after being struck down by calf cramping, while Annabel Sutherland also spent time off the field during Australia’s bowling innings.

Ellyse Perry retires hurt in the first ODI // Getty

“It was hot and I think the humidity adds a different layer to that,” Litchfield said.

“We’re just getting used to it. We did a bit of heat acclimation, but your body says no sometimes.”

Litchfield has fond memories of one-dayers in India – she scored a century at Mumbai’s Wankhede during Australia’s most recent ODI tour in early 2024 and will be hopeful of picking up where she left off as she navigates her first 50-over World Cup.

But should she at any point become overawed by the World Cup stage, Litchfield need only look to the ultra-experienced players around her in the Australian top order – captain and opening partner Alyssa Healy, first drop Perry and No.4 Beth Mooney – for support.

“It’s so great batting with the skipper, Ellyse and Beth, it makes my job very easy,” she said.

“It’s nice to have a calm head out there.

“Sometimes my head’s racing, but they’re masters of their craft, they’re really good at starting and keeping me going but also batting ridiculously well (themselves).

“It’s pretty nice to look down and have them batting at their other end.”

Qantas ODI tour of India 2025

September 14: First ODI: Australia won by eight wickets

September 17: Second ODI, Mullanpur Cricket Stadium, 6pm AEST

September 20: Third ODI, Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, 6pm AEST

India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Richa Ghosh (wk), Kranti Gaud, Amanjot Kaur, Radha Yadav, Sree Charani, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Sneh Rana

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Nicole Faltum, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Charli Knott, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

2025 Women’s ODI World Cup

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

Australia’s warm-up match

September 28: v England, Bengaluru, Bengaluru, 7:30pm AEST

Australia’s group stage matches

October 1: v New Zealand, Holkar Stadium, Indore, 7:30pm AEST

October 4: v Sri Lanka, R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 7:30pm AEST

October 8: v Pakistan, R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 8:30pm AEDT

October 12: v India, ACA-VDCA Stadium Visakhapatnam, 8:30pm AEDT

October 16: v Bangladesh, ACA-VDCA Stadium Visakhapatnam, 8:30pm AEDT

October 22: v England, Holkar Stadium, Indore, 8:30pm AEDT

October 25: v South Africa, Holkar Stadium, Indore, 8:30pm AEDT

Finals

Semi-final 1: Guwahati or Colombo*, October 29, 8:30pm AEDT