For Maitlan Brown, the phone call from a national selector was the moment she had quietly prepared for, even when it felt distant. Now, the fast bowler has been added to Australia’s squad for the one-off pink-ball Test against India at the WACA Ground, marking her return to the national set-up for the first time since 2021 and placing her on the cusp of a long-awaited international debut.
Brown was drafted into the squad after injury concerns to Ellyse Perry, Kim Garth, and Sophie Molineux but she had already positioned herself for the opportunity. She had been told she was on standby before the series began and made sure her preparation left nothing to chance. After spending the past few seasons working her way back into contention, the recall carries extra significance.
“Getting the phone call, when I saw (national selector) Shawn Flegler’s name pop up on my phone, you know there’s something going on when ‘Flegs’ calls,” Brown said on the Scoop Podcast. “It’s just so nice to feel like all my hard work is really paying off and I’m super proud.”
Her return to the squad ends a long wait. Brown last featured in Australia’s extended group in 2021 and has since had to be patient while navigating injuries and fierce competition among the country’s pace bowlers. Instead of drifting away from the frame, she doubled down on her preparation, determined to be ready if another opportunity arose.
Across her Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) career with Sydney Sixers, Brown has claimed 85 wickets in 114 matches, consistently striking at key moments with the new ball and through the middle overs. She was among the Sixers’ leading wicket-takers in recent seasons and has regularly been one of the quickest bowlers in the competition. In the Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL), she has also contributed valuable breakthroughs for the Breakers, maintaining an average and being the second highest wicket-taker for her team.
The call confirmed that the hours in the gym, the extra spells at training and the consistent performances had not gone unnoticed. Her ability to generate bounce and extract movement makes her particularly well suited to Perth, where the surface has traditionally rewarded fast bowlers. She has also emerged as a valuable all-round option in recent seasons, developing her batting to become more than just a lower-order contributor. Brown has produced important runs in the Super Smash and the WNCL, showing composure and clean striking that add further depth to her skillset and strengthen her case as a genuine dual-threat option in the longer format.
She admitted that being placed on standby earlier in the summer sharpened her focus. “I was told before this tour that I was on standby, so I’ve been training and making sure that my loads are pretty high, just in case I ended up getting the call up,” she said. “If selected I just kind of have to go into this Test match backing all the physical prep that I’ve done in the preseason and then this season as well.”
The pink-ball Test presents a significant occasion in the women’s calendar. Test matches remain rare, which adds weight to every selection decision and every squad announcement. For Brown, simply being back in the Australian environment after 2021 is meaningful, but the competitor in her is eager for more. “If I get the chance to unleash at the WACA, I’m really excited to see what potential I could unlock, because I’m feeling really driven – I would love to see what the radar spits out,” she said. “Whether I play or not, I think it’s an awesome opportunity regardless and I’m just so excited to be back in and among the group”
The Test in Perth is the final chapter of a multi-format series that has swung in momentum. India claimed the opening T20I leg, before Australia responded strongly in the one-day internationals to wrest back control of the points table. The four-day pink-ball clash will ultimately decide the destination of the series trophy, with Australia needing only a draw to secure the overall result, while India must win outright.
For Brown, the broader context only heightens the anticipation. A home Test at the WACA, a series on the line and a long-awaited return to the national squad combine to create a moment rich with possibility. After three years away from the Australian set-up, her recall reflects both performance and perseverance. If her opportunity comes under the Perth lights, she is ready to seize it.
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