Lack of Test cricket experience hasn’t come in the way of the Indian women’s team displaying exemplary prowess and temperament in the game’s longest format. Australia and England are the traditional powerhouses of the women’s game, and the former especially has been virtually unbeatable across formats over the last several years.
India hadn’t played Test cricket for more than two years before taking on both these sides at home, but it put on dominant back-to-back performances. England suffered a 347-run thrashing in a little over two days, and while the Aussies took the game well into the fourth and final day, they were finally outplayed in a eight-wicket loss.
This despite the fact that most Indian players had virtually no experience of the four-day game and the long form is not even played at the domestic level. It makes the performance even more noteworthy as even senior players like skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana are not used to the ebbs and flows of multi-day cricket. International women’s cricket is almost exclusively played with the white ball, over 20 or 50 overs. Apart from India, England and Australia, other teams barely play Tests, and even these three sides only have a one-off Test as part of a tour. The entire Australia and England series was confined to one city — Mumbai.
The BCCI is the richest cricket board in the world. The women’s game worldwide will take the next big step if it backs it wholeheartedly. The launch of the Women’s Premier League was a significant moment, and the next women’s 50-over World Cup is also scheduled in India. Women’s Test cricket needs India to take the lead even as the big crowds for matches suggest there’s appetite and interest. Insisting on one Test match, at least, during every tour, home or away, would be a good start. It would be a shame if India’s women cricketers are not given ample opportunity to showcase their skills in this format.
