Ramesh Powar-led side will get to play two Test matches in a year which is very rare in the Indian Women’s circuit. After playing against England in June, they are all set to feature in another Test match against Australia later this year.
It was back in 2014 that the Indian women’s cricket team last played a Test match. In fact, they featured in two of them that year. First, they played against England at the Sir Paul Getty’s Ground in Wormsley, which was in August before they faced South Africa at the Gangothri Glades Cricket Ground in Mysore. The latter took place in November.
Seven years later, the Mithali Raj-led side are all set to play two Test matches in the same year once again. While the fixture against England was confirmed a couple of months ago, it has come to light that the Indian Women’s side will also be facing Australia Women in the longest format later this year.
While Cricket Australia or BCCI are yet to make an announcement, ESPNCricinfo understands that the one-off Test match in Australia will be a part of India Women’s tour, which will also comprise of white-ball series’.
India Women are scheduled to tour Australia in September later this year. The tour was originally supposed to take place in December 2020, and it was due to comprise of three ODIs. However, it was postponed to the 2021-22 season due to the pandemic, and it was understood that three T20Is would be added to the schedule as well.
Megan Schutt revealed that India Women will be touring Australia later this year. While talking to Kate Cross and Alex Hartley on their special podcast – ‘No Balls: The Cricket Podcast’, the ace Australian fast bowler said the Australian Women have a busy year ahead, including a couple of camps before they face India in mid-September, which will be followed by the WBBL, Women’s National Cricket League, the Ashes, the World Cup and then the Commonwealth Games next year.
“We have got a tour against India in mid-September. So, there’s a couple of camps. I believe we are doing one in Darwin, which will be really cool. And then the tour against India. And then pretty much from there things get crazy with Big Bash, WNCL, Ashes, World Cup, and hopefully the Commonwealth Games,”
Schutt was quoted saying on the podcast.
India Women will be facing Australia Women in a Test match for the first time in 15 years. The last time these two sides squared off in the longest format was way back in 2006, and that game was played at the Adelaide Oval. Overall, India and Australia Women’s sides have faced each other nine times in Test cricket, with Australia winning four and five games ending in a draw.
With the Test match and the white-ball series planned in Australia, the Indian cricketers have a busy schedule ahead of them as well. They now travel to England and will be playing all three formats. They play one Test match, three ODIs and as many T20Is. Five Indian cricketers are likely to stay back in England for The Hundred, which is all set to kickstart on the 21st of July and the final being played on the 21st of August. There is a tour to Australia, which is likely to start around mid-September. That will be followed by the WBBL, and quite a few Indian players are likely to feature in the Australian T20 extravaganza.
