The historic one-off Test between England Women and India Women starts on June 16. The four-day match will be played at the Bristol County Ground and will be the Indian women’s cricket team’s first Test in nearly seven years.
India Women underwent an eight-day hard quarantine in Southampton that ended on June 2 before beginning practice. India is coached by former spinner Ramesh Powar.
The two teams have played 13 Tests so far with India winning two, England one and 10 matches ending in draws. India have won the last three Tests they have played - two against England and one against South Africa.
Veteran Mithali Raj will lead the Test side. The 38-year old holds the record for the highest individual score by an India Women’s team player when she scored 214 versus England in 2002.
The only members from the current squad to play a Test before apart from the captain are Harmanpreet Kaur, Jhulan Goswami, Punam Raut, Smriti Mandhana, Shikha Pandey, Poonam Yadav and Ekta Bisht when they played South Africa in India in 2014.
Hard-hitting T20I opener Shafali Verma has earned her maiden call-up to the Test squad.
“They're an ever-growing side,” England women’s cricket team’s vice captain Nat Sciver said. “There's always a new, young talent on the team who isn't afraid to go out there and show what they've got. They seem to be more fearless than I've seen before.”
England Women vs India Women Test full squads
India Women’s Test squad: Mithali Raj (captain), Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur (vice-capt), Punam Raut, Priya Punia, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Sneh Rana, Taniya Bhatia (wicket-keeper), Indrani Roy (wicket-keeper), Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Poonam Yadav, Ekta Bisht, Radha Yadav
England Women’s Test squad: Heather Knight (captain), Emily Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Natasha Farrant, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nathalie Sciver (vice-capt), Anya Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield-Hill
Where to watch England Women vs India Women Test live in India?
England Women vs India Women only Test will be telecast live on the Sony SIX and Sony SIX HD TV channels in India. The match will start at 3.30 PM IST.
Live streaming of England Women vs India Women will be available on SonyLiv.
Featured photo : William West / AFP
