Indian women’s cricket 2023-2024: Shedding inspiring past to build an exciting future

It is the first time in 20 years that the Indian women’s team is playing a Test match without veterans Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, both of whom have retired.

In safe hands: A young Indian team won the gold medal after defeating Sri Lanka by 19 runs in the Women’s T20I final of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. | Photo Credit: PTI

The last time India’s women’s cricket team played a Test match at home, back in November 2014, Mithali Raj was the captain, and Smriti Mandhana was taking baby steps in the international arena.

It was a remarkable year for the team as it played two four-day Tests in a span of five months — against England in Wormsley and against South Africa in Mysuru — and went on to win both. After an incredible high, one expected the team to have more opportunities in the longer format.

However, it took them another seven years to feature in a Test match. In 2021, when the women’s team finally got another chance to don the whites — against England and Australia — Mithali and Jhulan Goswami were at the fag end of their careers, and Mandhana was already a seasoned campaigner. But as Goswami says, “We were really happy to have finally donned the whites. That’s something we have always craved for in our long careers.”

In the upcoming two weeks, India’s women’s cricket team, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, is set for an exciting home series. It will face formidable opponents, England and Australia, in two Test matches in Mumbai, as well as an extensive T20I series against both teams. This marks a significant occasion as the Women in Blue haven’t had such a packed home season in quite a while. The upcoming matches, along with the subsequent Women’s Premier League in February, have generated enthusiasm among stakeholders. “This is a huge opportunity for us because we are getting so many matches. We need to prepare well,” says young all-rounder Kanika Ahuja.

Trend-setters: Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami have been trailblazers when it comes to women’s cricket. However, the Indian team has to now chart a new course without the guidance of its two most influential characters. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Between December 5, 2013, and December 5, 2023, India’s women’s cricket team participated in 132 T20Is, with 36 matches held at home. In contrast, it played only four Tests during this period. Additionally, the team engaged in 98 ODIs, including 34 matches on home turf, securing victory in 59 instances. Just to put things into perspective, in the past decade, the England women’s team has participated in 111 T20Is, nine Tests, and 102 ODIs. Meanwhile, Australia played 118 T20Is, seven Tests, and 93 ODIs during the same period. South Africa’s women’s team engaged in 111 T20Is, two Tests, and 122 ODIs between December 5, 2013, and December 5, 2023.

Despite putting up a fairly consistent show, the Indian women players have rued a lack of game time for years now. “At one point in time, there was a huge challenge. In our time, we would barely play one series in a year, and in case someone was injured, her season would end with no international assignments. There have been several years where we have played a solitary series in the entire year, and that was it,” Goswami tells Sportstar.

“After 2014, there was a time when Mithali and I would often feel that we would never get a chance to don the whites again. But then, in 2021, we played two Test matches against England and Australia. It was a huge moment for all of us, and those two games, according to me, ensured that there would be more red-ball cricket going forward. That was the turning point,” she says.

Goswami believes the players are better prepared for the red-ball challenge this time. “After the last edition’s WPL, the players got an idea about how to recover quickly in a short span of time. And this time, the girls knew the calendar well in advance — in terms of both international and domestic assignments — and that has helped them prepare well for the two big series against England and Australia,” the former India captain says.

Leading up to the series against England, India’s A side, which consisted of a few members from the senior team, was involved in a three-match T20 series against England A. Though India lost the series 1-2, it was a learning experience ahead of a long season. “I really liked the way the windows were used. We had a short window to have a short game in Bengaluru, where the top 30 players were divided into teams, and they got some practice games. This experience will help in the Tests against England and Australia. Even in terms of domestic and T20 series, they were slotted well. The home games also give you a chance to strengthen your bench,” says Nooshin Al Khadeer, the India A team coach.

Leading the way: For India, only captain Harmanpreet Kaur (in pic) and star batter Smriti Mandhana have previously played in a home Test. It is also Harmanpreet’s first Test as leader. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Coming from a generation that faced challenges in obtaining sufficient international game opportunities, Nooshin recognises the significance of having a greater number of matches.

“Creating bench strength is important because it’s the ladder for the girls to reach a higher level. We had domestic matches at different venues and that gave the girls an idea about different wickets. Then to have a series against England and Australia, followed by the WPL, is a great learning experience,” she says.

“Back in our time, we played a lot of days’ cricket. So, now with two Tests coming in, the girls get an opportunity to play both white-ball and red-ball, and when you play red-ball cricket, it helps in understanding your temperament. From 2003, we played quite a few Tests against England, Australia, and South Africa, and now to see that happening again is a huge thing.”

Since Nooshin works largely with the age-group teams, she believes that such a long series also helps in developing the game at the grassroots, as quite a few players who wouldn’t be tailor-made for the longer format could be prepared for the red-ball. “It opens up the pipeline,” she says.

Last December, India hosted Australia for an extended white-ball series. Both DY Patil Stadium and Brabourne Stadium witnessed full crowds, which also contributed to the success of the WPL, with fans turning up in significant numbers for all the games.

Stakeholders anticipate a positive fan response as big-ticket women’s cricket returns to Mumbai after a year. From Mithali and Goswami advocating for more matches to the current scenario of the girls enjoying a packed home season, Indian women’s cricket has, indeed, come a long way.