Image Credit- Getty
It has been over forty years. In 1984, Australia’s
women played four Test series in India, the final one being played at Mumbai’s
Wankhede Stadium. All four series ended in draws. India and Australia will
begin their multi-format series on Thursday with a one-off Test match, once
more at Wankhede.
For women, tests are uncommon. This is why India, who
will play in whites just four days after a historic victory over England in
Navi Mumbai, faces a formidable test in this Test.
India were helped by an extra day off – they wrapped
up the win against England in just over two days – in recovering and setting
sights on Australia. “When you are playing back-to-back Tests, it is
important to recover and feel fresh,” Harmanpreet Kaur said on the eve of
the Test. “The more we feel fresh, the better it will be for us because
there is hardly time to prepare. If there was a 10-12 day [gap], you can take
two-three days off and again prepare yourself. We were lucky we had fourth day
off and then just one day off [after that].”
In Australia, too, it’s a new beginning. Meg Lanning,
the skipper who led them to unprecedented heights, is no longer with us. Just a
few days before the Indian selections were revealed, she declared her
retirement from international cricket. Though they were also temporarily in
charge during the Ashes, Alyssa Healy took over as captain and this is her
maiden tour as a full-time captain and vice-captain alongside Tahlia McGrath .
“Unbelievably huge shoes to fill in replacing Meg
Lanning,” Healy said. “The success she had as not only a player but
as a leader of the Australian cricket team is fairly unmatched right around the
men’s and women’s game. Big shoes to fill on my part but one that’s really
exciting to me. Bring it on, India is a big challenge!”
Healy is returning after a finger injury – she was
accidentally bitten by her dog after just one game at the WBBL and required
surgery. She said “the finger is all good”. “I didn’t realise
how much I’d missed it watching WBBL at home and coming here and getting the
opportunity to keep and have a bat.” She also confirmed that she will keep
wickets in the Test.