Cricket Enthusiasts Eagerly Anticipate India’s Test Clash at Chepauk
As the Indian women’s cricket team gears up for their upcoming Test match against South Africa, captain Harmanpreet Kaur is excited about the opportunity to get accustomed to the Chepauk conditions. With the venue potentially hosting matches during the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, this series serves as a valuable preparation ground for the team.
“As a team, it’s a great opportunity for us,” Harmanpreet expressed. “We are getting used to home conditions… even though they are home conditions, we don’t have much experience here. But I think this series will definitely give us a lot of confidence to see how the wicket is going to behave and what combinations we can look for [for the World Cup].”
The Indian team’s last appearance at the MA Chidambaram Stadium was in a Quadrangular series back in 2007, and they last played a women’s Test here in 1976. With all women’s internationals in India since late 2022 held in Navi Mumbai or Mumbai, this chance to compete in Chennai is a welcome change.
Harmanpreet believes that the team’s recent success in the long format, including convincing wins against England and Australia, has helped them overcome the tendency to overthink during Test matches. The captain credits the guidance of head coach Amol Muzumdar, who has extensive red-ball experience, for this improvement.
“Amol sir help me. He has played lot of Test [red-ball] cricket and he has a lot of experience. With his experience, he has helped me with things like how to take decisions on the field. I do have a bit of an idea now,” Harmanpreet said.
As the team prepares to take the field, they are eager to learn about the Chepauk pitch and adapt their game plan accordingly.
“We don’t have much idea about how Chennai wicket is going to play. We have only seen when the men were playing but women’s cricket is totally different… the pace, the way we bowl and bat, I think we’ll know that only once we take the field tomorrow, see how the pitch behaves and take decisions,” the captain remarked.
With the 100-ball cricket schedule, backyard cricket, beach cricket, and club cricket enthusiasts eagerly awaiting the action, the Indian women’s team is determined to make the most of this opportunity to hone their skills and gain valuable experience ahead of the upcoming Women’s ODI World Cup.
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