India’s dynamic leader, Harmanpreet Kaur, passionately advocates for an increased number of women’s Test matches and a revival of extended domestic cricket in the country. Harmanpreet, 34, epitomizes the quintessential contemporary women’s cricketer with a commendable record across formats: a mere trio of Test appearances, juxtaposed with a staggering tally of 127 ODIs and 154 T20Is.
In the forthcoming 2022-25 women’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) cycle, India is slated to engage in only a duo of Test battles. These captivating encounters are set to unfold during the 2023-24 season, as India squares off against cricketing giants England and Australia on their home turf. Remarkably, a select quartet of teams is entrusted with the responsibility of participating in Test cricket during this cycle. India, while holding the promise of resplendent performances, finds itself engaged in the fewest Test contests, trailing behind England (five), Australia (four), and South Africa (three).
🇮🇳 skipper Harmanpreet Kaur is backing her team to perform in Test cricket and make an impact! 🤩#CricketTwitter | 📸: Getty pic.twitter.com/2YnRqlbthT
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) August 9, 2023
Eyes brimming with hope, she expressed her optimism for the transformative impact of the forthcoming duels against England and Australia. I’m excited about the upcoming matches, and I think they can make women’s cricket much better. I really hope we can have more Test matches in the future. Having these longer games for women’s cricket is very important, she said with strong feelings.
“This year we have two Tests – one against England and one against Australia – and I hope those games can make a huge impact on women’s cricket and hopefully in the future we will keep getting more Test matches. We have to bring back Test matches in women’s cricket because it’s very important for women’s cricket.” She added.
A wistful glance back to the bygone era reveals that the last instance of multi-day domestic women’s cricket in India unfurled in the 2017-18 season. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) orchestrated an engaging inter-zonal three-day tournament, complemented by a spirited inter-zonal Under-19 two-day championship. Reflecting on this evolution, Harmanpreet voiced her appreciation for the commendable strides undertaken, with a special nod to the inception of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Nonetheless, her heart aches for the revival of prolonged cricketing encounters.
Even though we’ve made good progress, I really miss the old times when we played cricket for two or three days. I’m hopeful that as we get ready for the upcoming Test matches, we might bring back those shorter games. Lots of cricket happening will make women’s cricket even better, Harmanpreet explained.
Source: Sky Sports Cricket Podcast