The Indian womens team is having a great time in the field. In the last ODI series against South Africa. They played brilliantly and whitewashed the opponent. Before that, they won the series against Bangladesh. After a lot of white ball cricket, the team is shoplifting their focus to the longest format. Before stepping into the red ball arena, Indian Women’s team coach Amol Muzumdar sees room for improvement in every department of the team, emphasizing the need for continuous development and growth.
Mazumdar’s View on Improvement:
India enters the Test match with strong momentum from recent series victories: the T20I series in Bangladesh and the ODI series against South Africa at home. Having last played Test cricket in December 2023, defeating England and Australia in one-off matches, India made history. All the players are in tremendous form. Smriti Mandhana scored 343 runs in the series against South Africa. Bowlers are thriving on the pitch. Despite these successes, head coach Amol Muzumdar emphasizes the need for improvement in all areas as they prepare for the upcoming one-off Test against South Africa.
The head coach said, “We do have the momentum – we won in Bangladesh, we won against South Africa. They are different formats, but at the same time, we are trying to focus on every game as it comes. The demands [of playing a Test] are different. I think the team is up for it, and I think as far as improvement is concerned, I think all three departments – batting, bowling, and fielding, and fitness – four departments [can improve].”
Coming Back to the Longest Format:
India last played a Test in December, securing an eight-wicket win against Australia in Mumbai. They also defeated England. Then there was a big pause. They are now set to face South Africa in a one-off Test match in Chennai. The Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal Multi-day Trophy in March-April served as key preparation, demonstrating a commitment to red-ball cricket. Despite only five days to prepare after the ODI series, head coach Amol Muzumdar remains confident.
He said, “In December, we played against England and Australia, we played back-to-back Tests. We are aware that red-ball cricket will be a part of women’s cricket going forward and hence I feel that the inter-zonal, which happened in March-April, was very critical. We are also focusing on the red-ball stuff and I think they are aware and they are ready and raring to go in the multi-day format. To adjust to that is a different story.”
Later he added, “Those are the demands of modern-day cricket. You know you cannot escape that as a team. So we try to cater to all the demands. It’s not easy, but at the same time it’s a challenge and we accept it as a challenge to adapt to different formats.”
Test Championship for the Women, Not a Bad Idea:
While the ODIs against South Africa were part of the Women’s Championships, only Australia, England, India, and South Africa currently play Test cricket. Muzumdar is optimistic about the future, expressing hope for a Women’s Test Championship similar to the men’s format.
Amol Mazumdar said, “It’s not a bad idea to have Test Championships. That’s something to look forward to, but that is for the board to decide. And if it happens, it’s even better for the game. Test cricket is always special. We like to keep it that way, that you know every game is important – whether it’s ODI, T20, or Test match. I know there is no Test Championship to look forward to, but at the same time, every game is important. We take part to win them.”
Praising Shabnam Shakil:
The uncapped medium-pacer Shabnam Shakil was included in the squad for all formats to acclimate to the team’s culture. She was a member of the U-19 World Cup-winning Indian team last year and made a notable impact for Gujarat Giants in WPL 2024.
The coach said, “She’s definitely a superb talent, and that’s the reason she is here. We’ve made a conscious decision of including her in the team so that she gets a feel of the dressing room, and also the atmosphere and the culture that we’re building. She gets a first-hand experience to that. She’s definitely a good talent, and we will hear more about her in the future.”
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