IND-W vs ENG-W Test: India looks to overcome gulf in experience as seasoned England awaits

In 2021, when India performed England in Bristol – the facet’s first red-ball recreation in seven years – the overarching query was about the way forward for Tests within the girls’s recreation. When India’s subsequent cease within the longest type of the sport got here just a few months later towards Australia in Perth – a pink ball affair this time – the footnote remained unchanged. 

So when there may be an 802-day hole for India’s subsequent Test match, one can’t fault suppose tanks for struggling to strike a stability between backing confirmed warhorses and younger blood ready to indicate what they’ll do, for a four-day Test match.

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England has had higher luck with fixtures provided that Tests are part of the multi-format Ashes collection. The facet options gamers comfy with crimson ball cricket – from skipper Heather Knight to Tammy Beaumont, who comes into this Test after a scintillating 208 within the Trent Bridge Test earlier this 12 months. 

This or that

England’s trump card although is undoubtedly Sophie Ecclestone who romps into this recreation as an automated starter with seven wickets in three video games within the just lately concluded T20I collection. When India and England sparred within the Bristol Test, Ecclestone took eight wickets to go away India greedy for air after which Sneh Rana and Taniya Bhatia pulled off a marvellous rescue act. 

England’s Nat Sciver Brunt, Heather Knight and Sophie Ecclestone throughout the observe session forward of India Vs England Test match.
| Photo Credit:
EMMANUAL YOGINI/The Hindu

“Sophie recently dislocated her shoulder and that she has done the work and come back and continued to find success is a testament to the cricketer she is,” Beaumont stated about her teammate. 

Knight has a few toss-ups on her fingers. Emma Lamb’s damage means Beaumont will get a brand new opening associate with Maia Bouchier wanting primed to take up that spot given the exhausting yards she put in on the nets. Sophia Dunkley, who has been woefully off form for a lot longer than she would love, won’t be out of the image given the added possibility of leg spin she offers. 

Lauren Filer’s fastish rippers make her a great candidate to make the England XI and may assist her edge out namesake Lauren Bell. 

“Conditions certainly impact the playing XI. You’re backing your best cricketers obviously, but heat and humidity means conversations of an extra batter and extra bowler come up and we’re leaning towards an extra bowler,” Knight stated a day forward of the sport. 

Fresh faces

Only Harmanpreet and Smriti Mandhana stay from the 2014 facet that confronted South Africa. India’s choice decisions could look easy or difficult relying on what the coach and captain wish to prioritise on this recreation. 

Shafali Verma, Mandhana (who scored her maiden Test ton vs Australia), Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet, and Yastika Bhatia look set to type the highest 5, having put in performances that present their solidity in these positions.

Given that any signal of grass on the wicket on the D.Y.Patil Stadium was meticulously shaved off over the day, India may search for a two-seamer-three-spinner mixture, falling again on the tried and examined trio of Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana and Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Renuka Thakur and Pooja Vastrakar can saddle tempo duties. 

Harmanpreet Kaur and Coach Amol Muzumdar throughout the observe session forward of India Vs England Test match.
| Photo Credit:
EMMANUAL YOGINI/The Hindu

“In 2014, I was the only offspinner in the side, and my first wicket was off a full toss. Now we have enough spinners that I won’t be needed with the ball,” Harmanpreet stated earlier than the sport. But her off-spin and talent to search out breakthroughs when momentum dries up will imply she may want to remain on the ball in additional methods than one. 

England is about to play its one hundredth Test match, which can make it the primary nation to get to the mark. With a extra assured and seasoned outfit, Knight and Co. might need a slight edge over the house staff, however it’s going to come all the way down to who reads the circumstances the perfect and adapts a largely white-ball enjoying philosophy to the longest format of the sport.