Everything to gain for Indian women's cricket team

India players celebrate after dismissing Australia’s Alyssa Healy during the T20 WC final last year. Pic/AFP

In the absence of a warm-up game ahead of their first day-night Test, against Australia in September-October, India women should practice a lot with the pink ball and focus on the limited overs series, said former India women's team coach WV Raman.

India will visit Australia for a full series comprising one Test, three ODIs and three T20Is. The Test at WACA will take place from September 30 to October 3 and will be preceded by two white-ball series.

‘Practise more with pink ball'

"Getting a practice game now looks a bit impractical because there are a lot of restrictions and you may not have perhaps a good side to form from the local talent available. It's not just about playing a practice game, it's also about getting a reasonably good quality side. So, the best option would be to try and play as much as you can with the pink ball, try and practice with it, try and see what the bowlers need to do, get used to it in whatever number of days they have available," Raman was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

WV Raman

"It's the same for the batters as well, they've got to ensure that they get over whatever apprehensions and anxieties that they may have with the pink ball," said the former India opening batsman before adding that the women cricketers should not get overawed by the fact that they are playing with pink ball.

Raman added that India shouldn't be too concerned about losing Test matches since they will be forgiven due to lack of Test match practice. He said the India women should focus on the limited overs series instead.

India play a Test in England next month and follow it up with the day-night Test in Australia.

Lack of Test matches

This is the first time they are playing a Test since 2014. "Even if things go unexpectedly badly, they shouldn't be too disappointed because the important leg of the tour is the one-day series and they enjoy playing the T20 format, and this is a situation where they're playing a Test match after nearly seven years, so it's not easy. We've seen that the best of sides can be a little bit rough getting into a Test after a long break. A long break can even be three-four months, so seven years is a long time. They have everything to gain and nothing to lose."

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