Litchfield: Australia's batters need to take 'ownership'

Phoebe Litchfield has called on Australia's batters to be more ruthless and not leave it to the next player as they look to level the T20I series against India in Canberra.

Australia crashed to a heavy defeat in Sydney during Sophie Molineux's first game as captain leaving them one loss away from their first bilateral series defeat on home soil since 2017.

Litchfield, who left the recent WPL with a quad injury, overcame a tricky start at the SCG where she was 0 off eight balls, having faced a maiden from Renuka Singh, to accelerate to 26 off 19 when she fell to Arundhati Reddy during a collapse of 3 for 12. Georgia Wareham top-scored with 30 as Australia lost their last five wickets for 12 to be bowled out after 18 overs.

"I think just some ownership with the bat. I reckon that's probably where we fell short," Litchfield told reporters in Canberra. "It's tough to look too much into that game because it was rained out, but I think we started off really well. We were still going at eights … it's just we ran out of batters.

"I think just a bit more ownership as a batting unit and hopefully we can either set a big score or chase a big score. I think all of us batters have reflected pretty clearly on that and keen to rectify things on Thursday."

Before Sunday's opening match against India, Australia had only played three T20Is since last March with the period dominated by the ODI World Cup. Now the next T20 World Cup is just four months away so the two remaining matches of this series then the three during the upcoming multi-format tour of West Indies have added significance, although Australia are lining up three additional games against South Africa when they reach the UK alongside the official warm-up matches.

"I think a lot of us play T20 cricket all around the year, but we're all in different spots throughout the year," Litchfield said. "Some people open, some people bat three, and then in our team there's only one [number] three and there's only one [number] one. I guess it's adapting to your new role, but I think for our team we're very adaptable.

"We know how to put the team before ourselves and I think that's something that we do very well. Being able to adapt our games to the Aussie side is something that the team has had to do for years. I wouldn't say it's a challenge, but I think it's something that we've gotten really good at with the hectic schedule these days."

Meanwhile, Litchfield has been putting in extra work on her wicketkeeping skills alongside Tim Paine who is currently working with the squad. With Alyssa Healy's pending retirement and Beth Mooney taking the keeping role full time, Australia will lose their natural understudy. While any serious injury to Mooney would see a replacement called up Litchfield, who kept wicket in club cricket, knows it's important to be able to fill in if required, particularly when squad sizes are limited in global events.

"You've got to have more strings to your bow," she said. "I love fielding, don't get me wrong, but I think moving forward, I've always kept at home back in Orange with the men's cricket, and [want to] keep that skill up if need be. But definitely not trying to take anyone's spot, that's for sure. I think I could do it for a game.

"I know that having back-up keeper on your resume is somewhat beneficial if you're looking elsewhere. I guess for Australia having that option then clears up a spot for potentially a bowler or a batter if need be."

Australia made two significant selection calls for the opening match of the series, leaving out experienced pair Tahlia McGrath and Megan Schutt.