Former India captain Shantha Rangaswamy is confident that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will plan a few domestic day-night matches earlier India’s pink-ball Test against Australia end of the year.
BCCI director Jay Shah on May 20 (Thursday) informs that the Indian Women’s team will play a day-night Test against Australia. The pace-friendly WACA in Perth will host the famous encounter beginning September 30.
India will also play a Test against England in upcoming days- their first in the last 7-years. With limited publicity to red-ball cricket, it will be a challenging responsibility for Mithali Raj & Co.
Shantha Rangaswamy greeted the decision by the BCCI to organize Test matches for the women’s team but warned them to stage home matches with the pink ball.
“The BCCI has been planning on certain tournaments for women cricketers in the last year. But time and again plans have gone haywire because of the pandemic. It is heartening to note that the board has planned a Test during the Indian women’s tour of England,” Rangaswamy told PTI.
“I firmly believe the ultimate barometer is the longest format. To add to this, a day-night Test against Australia has also been announced which should be highly appreciated. However, as Indian women don’t play red-ball cricket even in the domestic circuit, it is advisable for the BCCI to conduct a pink-ball tournament in India before the players embark on the journey to Australia,” she added.
While BCCI has decided Duleep Trophy matches with pink balls, the women cricketers are still to get a taste of the same.
Former BCCI apex council member Shantha Rangaswamy also advised that a 2nd-string women’s team be sent to Sri Lanka along with the men’s team in July to build the bench strength.
Here's the full schedule for the #AUSvIND Commonwealth Bank Women's series. pic.twitter.com/S2kSFMzhAO
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) May 20, 2021
“It is also nice to know the Indian men will be playing in Sri Lanka (in July). It will be good if a women’s team is also sent to Sri Lanka,” she suggested.