India Women’s head coach, Amol Muzumdar, expressed satisfaction with his team’s efforts, choosing to highlight the positive aspects following their 10-wicket loss to Australia Women in the pink-ball Test at the WACA Ground. He particularly commended the debutants for their strong showings amidst the difficult conditions in Perth.
In this pink-ball encounter, India introduced four Test debutants: Pratika Rawal, Kashvee Gautam, Kranti Gaud, and Sayali Sathgare. Pratika Rawal, after an initial score of 18, delivered a maiden half-century in the second innings, scoring 63 runs off 137 deliveries. Sayali Sathgare impressed as India’s leading seamer, securing figures of 4/50 in the first innings. Although Kashvee Gautam didn’t claim any wickets, her vital 34 runs from the lower order contributed significantly to India nearing a total of 200 in their first innings.
“Witnessing the performance of all our debutants was truly encouraging. Pratika, for instance, displayed immense courage and resolve by scoring a half-century in the second innings here at the WACA. Kranti put in a tremendous effort with her bowling, and Kashvee along with Sayali secured wickets in the first innings.”
“A bit disappointing with the result, but I’m really happy with the fight we displayed over the past three days. The conditions were tough, but credit to Australia – they were brilliant in this Test match. At the WACA you expect the ball to swing and seam. If we had put a good score on the board in the first innings, it could have been a different story,” Muzumdar stated.
Competing in a pink-ball Test at the WACA Ground introduced distinct challenges, particularly with the significant movement of the ball under floodlights. Muzumdar recognized these difficulties, underscoring that adaptability to such diverse conditions is a fundamental requirement in international cricket.
“The pink ball presented a unique challenge. Its movement under lights was considerable, but ultimately, both teams faced the same conditions and had to adapt,” Muzumdar noted.
India arrived at the Test match following an intense period of white-ball cricket. Prior to this multi-format tour of Australia, which included T20Is, ODIs, and then the sole Test, the team had already participated in a T20 series against Sri Lanka Women and the Women’s Premier League (WPL), flying to Australia immediately after the WPL final.
“This is undeniably a demanding format,” Muzumdar stated. “We came into this after playing five T20s against Sri Lanka, then the WPL, and immediately after the final, we traveled to Australia for a T20 series, followed by the multi-format tour. It’s tough, but we offer no excuses.”
Despite the loss, Muzumdar reaffirmed the players’ appreciation for Test cricket opportunities and their desire to compete more frequently in the format. He reiterated the critical importance of the first innings, suggesting that a higher score could have substantially altered the match’s outcome.
Muzumdar concluded by emphasizing, “Everyone in the dressing room eagerly anticipated this pink-ball Test in Perth. The more Test matches we play, the more beneficial it is for the sport. Including a four or five-day Test match in the international schedule consistently is always a positive indicator for cricket.”
