India host a women’s Test after nine years; it’s IND-W vs ENG-W from Dec 14-17 at Navi Mumbai
2014 was the last time India hosted women’s Test. The good news for the Indian fans is that India won that Test by an innings and 34 runs against South Africa at Mysore. Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Rajeshwari Gayakwad were the only three players from that team who are a part of the 2023 Test squad. A lot has changed since then. Mandhana has a new opening partner in Shafali Verma, Kaur, who picked nine wickets in that Test does not bowl as much as that today, and will captain India for the first time in Tests, and Gayakwad has matured as one of India’s leading left arm spinners. After nine years, India is once again ready to host a women’s Test in Mumbai as they take on England from December 14 to 17 at Dr D Y Patil Sports Academy.
Squads
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia (wicket-keeper), Richa Ghosh (wicket-keeper), Sneh Rana, Shubha Satheesh, Harleen Deol, Saika Ishaque, Renuka Singh Thakur, Titas Sadhu, Meghna Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Pooja Vastrakar.
England: Heather Knight (captain), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Tammy Beaumont, Danni Wyatt, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Giler, Kirstie Gordon, Amy Jones (wicket-keeper), Bess Heath (wicket-keeper), Lauren Bell.
Head-to-Head
India and England have played 14 Tests between 1986 and 2021. Of the 14 matches, India have won two, England have won one, and eight have ended in a draw. Looking at the last five Test matches played between the two sides, India have won two and the remaining three have ended in a draw.
Top 3 Test batters and bowlers
Smriti Mandhana is the senior-most player in the Indian team with four Tests to her name. She is also the leading run scorer for her team in this format with 325 runs, including a century and two half-centuries. With the ball, captain Harmanpreet Kaur is the most successful Test bowler in this Indian squad with nine wickets in three matches. Though this time around Kaur will be expected to contribute more with the bat than with the ball.
For England, captain Heather Knight is the top run getter in Tests among the players in her team with 771 runs in 11 matches. Like her T20I and ODI career, Sophie Ecclestone has been outstanding in the longest format of the game with 27 wickets in six matches.
| India | England | ||
| Batters – runs (matches) | Bowlers – wickets (matches) | Batters – runs (matches) | Bowlers – wickets (matches) |
| Smriti Mandhana – 325 (4) | Harmanpreet Kaur – 9 (3) | Heather Knight – 771 (11) | Sophie Ecclestone – 27 (6) |
| Shafali Verma – 242 (2) | Rajeshwari Gayakwad – 5 (2) | Nat Sciver-Brunt – 590 (9) | Kate Cross – 24 (7) |
| Deepti Sharma – 152 (2) | Deepti Sharma – 5 (2) | Tammy Beaumont – 497 (8) | Nat Sciver – Brunt – 10 (9) |
Pitch and conditions
The venue will host its first ever international Test match. Traditionally it is known for its sporting pitch that offers assistance to batters and bowlers. Expect fast bowlers to get some movement in the first hour of the play with the new ball. At the same time, the pitch will have a true bounce, helping the batters to trust it and play their shots. As the match progresses, expect the spinners to come into play. With hot conditions in the afternoon, cracks could develop thereby aiding the slower bowlers.
Weather
The weather is expected to be mostly sunny. The temperatures will hover around 34 degrees Celsius. There will be 15% cloud cover and no chance of rain. The wind will blow from the north-northeast.
Match details
Date: December 14 – 17, 2023
Time: 9.30am
Venue: Dr D Y Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai
Live streaming: Jio Cinema