On Friday in Chennai, the Indian women’s cricket team is set to face South Africa in a one-off Test match, which holds key significance as it marks ten years since both teams last played a five-day game.
Test cricket for women’s teams is infrequent, so the focus will be on new players, up to five of whom may make their first appearances in Test cricket from India.
A 3-0 clean sweep over South Africa in the ODI series has provided vital impetus to the visiting side before they head into this test. However, according to experts and players themselves; there is a difference between ODI & T20 and Test Matches as they require very different skills and strategies.
The likes of Uma Chetry, Priya Punia, Saika Ishaque, Arundhati Reddy and Shabnam Shakil who are doing their homework ahead of their maiden Tests will be worth looking out for. The outcome of such games can be determined by how these players perform.
India last played a Test match in December 2023 where they won home matches against England and Australia back-to-back. When we last met South Africa in a Test Match was at 2014 Mysore when India won by an innings and 34 runs.
Amol Muzumdar the head coach says that he wishes the Indian women’s team had more red-ball cricket going forward.
“Not a bad idea (Women’s) Test Championship; something we can look forward to but that is for BCCI and ICC,” he said through PTI. “If it comes nothing like that.”
Harmanpreet Kaur with five Tests under her belt will lead India while vice captain Smriti Mandhana having featured once more than her skipper takes the record of most experienced player in the longest format of women’s game.
Both Mandhana as well as Rodrigues exhibited good form against England as well as Australia and are expected to give good performances with the bat.
Other players such as Shafali Verma who stands as the Indians second highest run getter in terms of Test cricket, will be looking forward for great showings. Furthermore, Deepti Sharma is currently India’s third-highest run-scorer in Tests. The South African batters may find it difficult to handle off-breaks from Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar and Sneh Rana on the spin friendly Chennai track.
On their part, South Africa have played only one Test over the past two years against Australia at Perth earlier this year which they lost heavily. They have also named five potential debutantes.
While Sune Luus and Delmi Tucker, as well as Tazmin Britts are expected to perform extremely well with both bat and ball, Masabata Klaas, Anneke Bosch plus spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba will lead their team’s bowling department.
Chennai Chepauk ground has so far staged only one women’s test match which was drawn by India against West Indies in 1976. Nevertheless, this Indian group is prepared for the demands of the venue and will try to adapt their game plan accordingly.
