Georgia Voll has credited her 12-month apprenticeship with the Australia team for the ease with which she has been able to slot into the huge shoes of former captain and opener Alyssa Healy.
The 23-year-old has remained her unflappable self during her first T20 World Cup campaign, handed the all-important task of opening the batting alongside Beth Mooney.
Voll has been a regular presence around the Australian team for the past 18 months, having originally come into the side as an injury replacement for Healy in white-ball series against India, England and New Zealand across the 2024-25 summer.
She filled in again for Healy in two games during last year’s ODI World Cup, meaning when Healy announced her retirement from international cricket in January, Australia had a ready-made and experienced replacement already embedded in the side.
By that point, Voll had already played six T20Is. By March, having played six more, the Queenslander had a maiden T20 international century to her name and had risen to the top of the ICC’s batting rankings in the format.
“I think just being backed right from the start,” Voll said this week when asked the secret to her international rise.
“Knowing my role within this team, I was in a little bit, out a little bit with Midge still going about her business, and just being able to learn off her and the other senior players in the group, being able to train in different conditions, even though I wasn’t playing, just getting ready for that opportunity.
“I think that’s really held me in good stead having that more permanent role at the top.”
Voll’s naturally aggressive style of play has drawn comparisons with Healy, but speaking to reporters ahead of Sunday’s crunch clash with India at Lord’s, she insisted she was simply doing it her own way.
“I think that’s my role at the top, to put pressure back on the bowlers and try and get our team off to a really good start,” Voll continued.
“With the depth of our team, I get that license to go out there and see the ball and hit the ball, and that’s probably my role up the top.
“(They were) massive shoes to fill, but since I’ve come in, I’ve just (been told to) go about it how I wanted to go about it.
“That is the aggressive approach, and that’s how Healy played the game as well … to be told you play like her is pretty cool, but I think I just want to make sure that I’m going about it how I want to go about it, and making sure I’m getting the team in the best position possible.”
Ellyse Perry, who became the second Australian woman to score more than 8,000 international runs earlier this week, hailed Voll’s seamless transition into international cricket.
The pair shared a 100-run second-wicket stand against Pakistan at Headingley on Tuesday, helping Australia continue their unbeaten run in the tournament.
“Seamlessly is the word, I just think she looks so comfortable at this level,” Perry said.
“She’s such a powerful player, particularly down the ground, but then off the back foot as well if you drop too short, so it’s really hard from a length perspective in the Powerplay to bowl to her.
“I think just her disposition as well, she’s got a level of confidence and belief in her ability, which is completely warranted, and the fact that she’s just so calm and stable at the crease all the time … it’s been such an easy transition for her into the side.”
Voll hit a 28-ball 39 against Pakistan in Leeds, following on from scores of 17, 45no and 0 earlier in the tournament.
Her next assignment will be the toughest yet: a blockbuster against India in front of a sell-out crowd at Lord’s.
Australia are a game clear in Group 1 and hold a significant net run rate advantage over main rivals India and South Africa, and should qualify for the semi-finals regardless of Sunday’s result.
It will likely be do-or-die for India, however, and Australia will be just as keen to see the back of the team who knocked them out of last year’s ODI World Cup semis as they are to secure top spot in the group.
“We’ve been up and down the country the last few weeks, so we’re pretty excited to get down to London and have a couple of days down there, a couple of trainings, and come up against India,” Voll said.
“They’re a world-class side, and we always love coming up against India.
“I think it’ll be a great crowd down there.”
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
Australia squad: Sophie Molineux (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham. Travelling reserve: Tahlia Wilson
Australia’s Group 1 fixtures
June 13: beat South Africa by 65 runs
June 17: beat Bangladesh by nine wickets
June 20: beat Netherlands by 98 runs
June 24: beat Pakistan by 113 runs
June 28: v India, Lord’s, London, 11:30pm AEST
Semi-final 1: The Oval, London, June 30, 11:30pm AEST
Semi-final 2: The Oval, London, July 2 (3:30am July 3 AEST)
Final: Lord’s, London, July 5, 11:30pm AEST
Click here for the full tournament schedule
All matches will be broadcast on Amazon’s Prime Video
