India are entering the one-off Test against South Africa following back-to-back white-ball series sweeps – T20Is in Bangladesh and ODIs against South Africa at home. Despite the recent success, India head coach Amol Muzumdar believes there is potential for improvement in every aspect of the game. Muzumdar has also backed the idea of a Women’s Test Championship, suggesting it could positively impact the format. “We do have the momentum – we won in Bangladesh, we won against South Africa,” Muzumdar said, two days ahead of the Test match in Chennai. “Although they are different formats, we are focusing on each game individually. The demands of playing a Test are different, but I think the team is prepared. There is always room for improvement in batting, bowling, fielding, and fitness. “It is not a bad idea to have a World Test Championship but that is for the board [ICC] to decide. But if that happens, it is for the better of the game.”
Until recently, Indian women had not been actively playing red-ball cricket due to the structure of the women’s cricket calendar. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made deliberate efforts to schedule red-ball fixtures for the women’s team and has also organized the inter-zonal domestic tournament in a multi-day format. “In December, we played back-to-back Tests against England and Australia,” Muzumdar mentioned. “We understand that red-ball cricket will play a significant role in women’s cricket moving forward. The inter-zonal tournament in March-April was critical in conveying that we are focusing not just on white-ball cricket but also on the red-ball format. The players are aware, prepared, and eager to compete in multi-day matches. Adjusting to this format is part of modern-day cricket’s demands, and we accept the challenge of adapting to different formats.”
While the core of the team remains the same across formats, players like Shubha Satheesh, Sneh Rana, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, and Meghna Singh, who did not play in the ODIs, will be joining for the Test match.
“These four players are very important,” Muzumdar said. “We had a camp at the NCA about 15 days ago, specifically focused on red-ball preparation. They have already managed the workload and were given specific tasks to complete at home. Their weekly training schedule was organized and provided for them. They are fresh and ready to go.”
Source Agencies
