India Women’s performance in the recent T20Is against England was below par. However, their focus has now shifted to a completely different format where they should be a little more confident about putting some extra pressure on the Englishwomen in the one-off Test at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai beginning on Thursday.
India’s last Test at home took place in November 2014 against South Africa in Mysore.
A seasoned spin attack will be India’s primary weapon to keep England on their toes in this one-off Test. Off-spinner all-rounders Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana alongside left-armers Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Saika Ishaque form India’s spin attack, which does provide Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. with some options at their disposal.
Captain Harmanpreet though feels the switch between white and the red-ball formats, given there was only a three-day break between the T20Is and the Test, would be challenging for the players. “I know, after (playing) white-ball cricket, it will be a little challenging.
“The bowling unit got 10-15 days to prepare. They understood how the red ball behaves. As batting and bowling units, we have tried to cover up as much as we could,” she said on Wednesday.
History, however, offers a large slice of comfort to India as they have lost only one Test to England in 14 matches since their rivalry started back in 1986. And Harmanpreet, leading India in Tests for the first time, would want to keep that proud record intact.
India Women’s last appearance against Heather Knight’s England had ended in a draw at Bristol in June 2021. Smriti Mandhana had scored a first-innings 78 while a young Shafali Verma was the top-performer with 96 and 63.
With India making a return to the Test arena after September 2021, Harmanpreet said as players, they want to appear in more longest-format matches although it’s the administrators who need to look into the matter.
“As players, we want to play more and more Test matches. But it’s the ICC and the Board (BCCI)’s call, after all,” she said.
The Test starting on Thursday also has another significance as it marks the arrival of a double bonanza for Indian women’s cricket. Given the lack of Test cricket in women’s circuit being a perennial debate point, Indians would not be complaining as they have two Tests lined up in the span of 10 days.
After their assignment against England at the DY Patil Stadium, the Indians will face the indomitable Australians at the Wankhede Stadium from December 21-24 in another one-off Test.
“We want to play positive cricket and that is something we have discussed in the team meeting as well. It is all about the mind game,” Harmanpreet emphasised.
“We cannot keep thinking that we played a Test match two years ago and some girls are new in the side. The only change is that the colour of the ball has changed, but the approach will be the same.
“Even the field placements and bowling have to be attacking.”
