Currently, the Indian women’s team is hosting South Africa for a multi-format series from June 16 to July 9. The hosts swept the 3-match One-Internationals (ODI) series and on day 3 are in a comfortable position in the one-off Test at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
India etched their name in the history of women’s Test cricket by setting a new record for the highest total, amassing 603 runs. Continuing the dominant display from day 1’s performance on day 2 of the Test, India declared their innings at 603/6 at the end of 115.1 overs. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur scored 69 runs off 115 balls, and Richa Ghosh added 86 runs off 90 balls. South Africa’s bowlers struggled, with Delmi Tucker being the most successful taking 2 wickets, and Nonkululeko Mlaba, Nadine de Klerk, and Tumi Sekhukhune each taking a wicket.
In South Africa’s first innings, they scored 236/4 by the end of the day. Marizanne Kapp remained unbeaten with 69 runs, while Sune Luus contributed 65 runs off 164 balls. Anneke Bosch added 39 runs off 73 balls. Sneh Rana was the standout bowler for India, taking 3 wickets against 61 runs along with two maidens in her 20 overs bowling spell by the end of the day, leaving South Africa trail by 367 runs.
Following day 2 of the test match, Sneh Rana addressed a press conference at Chennai’s M. A. Chidambaram Stadium.
ON RETURNING TO PLAY TEST CRICKET AFTER THE AUSTRALIA TEST:
Sneh Rana reflected that she felt an incredible sense of satisfaction. She aimed to continue from where she had left off, maintaining the same focus and determination. She believed that her success was more a result of hard work than magic, especially since Australia is one of the best teams in the world. Performing against them is always challenging, and the need to consistently deliver high-level performances was foremost in her mind.
She mentioned, “I think more than magic, it’s the hard work that has paid off because Australia is one of the best teams in the world right now.”
ON KEEPING HERSELF MOTIVATED AND HER BOWLING PLANS:
Sneh Rana stated that regarding motivation, she credits the recent Zonals, the multi-day format organized by the BCCI. She believes that a player should always stay motivated, and ready to face any challenge at any time. For her red ball strategy, she focuses on channel bowling and using her stock ball more frequently. Her plan is straightforward: to come in and consistently bowl her channel ball.
She said, “In red ball, you have to do channel bowling and use your stock ball more often. My plan is very simple: come in and bowl your channel ball, and that’s it.”
ON INDIA’S BOWLING PLANS AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA:
Sneh Rana described that the strategy was developed by watching videos of the South African top-order batters and formulating plans accordingly. The focus was primarily on their stock balls. In Test cricket, fielding positions play a crucial role in dominating the other team, so the emphasis was placed on fielding rather than other aspects.
She said, “We made plans by watching videos of their main batsmen, particularly the top four or five, and strategized accordingly.”
ON THE CHALLENGES OF BOWLING ON THE CHENNAI SURFACE:
Sneh Rana described that bowling on the Chennai surface posed initial challenges due to the lack of turn early on. She had to rely heavily on her fingers and a firm grip to maneuver the ball effectively. However, as the match progressed and the pitch aged, there was an increased assistance of the wicket. She stated that overcoming these initial difficulties is essential for any player, requiring constant readiness to adapt to changing conditions throughout the game.
She stated, “The challenge was that in the beginning, there wasn’t much turn on the pitch, so you know, I had to use my fingers a lot and had to grip the ball very hard. But later on, as the wicket aged, we saw more bounce and it started turning more.”
ON WHICH WICKET WAS MORE SATISFYING FOR HER:
Sneh Rana expressed that she found Laura’s wicket particularly satisfying as she had been manifesting for it for a while, and finally achieving it brought her the most satisfaction.
She stated, “I think I would say that Laura’s [wicket] was more satisfying because I had been manifesting her wicket for a long time, and finally, I got her.”
ON INDIA’S BOWLING APPROACH AGAINST SUNE LUUS AND MARIZANNE KAPP:
Sneh Rana acknowledged the challenges posed by their batting prowess on a pitch that favored batters. Despite these two South African batters playing well and managing their innings effectively, Rana emphasized that India’s bowlers, including herself and Deepti Sharma, created opportunities throughout the day. She expressed confidence in India’s ability to dismiss them swiftly the following day, indicating a resilient approach despite the challenges faced on the field.
She said, “They played really beautifully; they managed their innings well in the middle. I mean, they played very well. But it’s not like we completely gave up. I think all our bowlers, whoever came to bowl at that time, even Deepti, myself, we created chances, but this happens. However, we are confident that we can wrap them up quickly tomorrow.”
