India Women Likely To Face Australia In One-off Test After 15 Years

If the recent news reports are to be believed, then the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Cricket Australia (CA) are in talks to stage a One-off Test this year between India Women and Australia Women for the first time in 15 years.

The two sides last met in the longest format in 2006 in Adelaide. The hosts thrashed the visitors, who were led by Mithali Raj, by an innings and 4 runs. Lisa Sthalekar, a renowned commentator now, was the Player of the Match then for her all-round dominance.

In fact, the Indian Women team hasn’t played a Test match since 2014. They last featured in the whites 6 years ago when they hosted South Africa women in Mysore and won by an innings.

Now they are scheduled to end the Test match drought with a tour to England next month for a one-off Test, followed by 3 ODIs and as many T20Is, under the recently-appointed coach, Ramesh Powar.

The Indian side is also expected to travel Down Under later in the year, and it would a significant step forward for women Test cricket in India if they play – and perhaps win – Australia in the Test match.

India would be very good at Test match cricket: Meg Lanning

Meg Lanning, the Australia captain, reckons Raj’s side would be excellent in red-ball cricket, and the players would be excited at the prospect of playing more Test cricket. This possible Test would an important fixture for Lanning’s girls leading into the home Ashes, alongside the men’s Ashes against England.

“The more nations that are willing to play [Tests], the better it will be for women’s cricket around the world. They [India] would be very good at Test match cricket. It’s obviously a great format within cricket and we don’t get the chance to do it that often. I know speaking to a lot of players as well, they’d be jumping to get the chance to play more Tests,” Lanning had said in March.

India and Australia last clashed in the Women’s T20 World Cup final in Melbourne last year with the hosts emerging victorious.

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