"Stay in the present": Muzumdar's message to India ahead of one-off Test at Lord's after women's T20WC group stage exit
London, July 9
Ahead of his side's historic one-off Test against England at Lord's, Indian women's team head coach Amol Muzumdar urged his side to put aside the disappointment of not reaching the ICC Women's T20 World Cup semifinals and focus on the present.
India crashed to back-to-back group stage exits in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in 2024 and this year, with losses to South Africa and Australia, the sides they had overcome in the final and semifinal during their landmark ICC Womens' 50-over World Cup triumph this year. However, this Test match presents a big opportunity for Women in Blue to make an impact in whites at an iconic venue known as 'The Home of Cricket'.
Speaking ahead of the match as quoted by Cricinfo, Muzumdar said, "What is gone, we cannot change it. We have discussed it within the squad. All we need to do is look forward and prepare the best we can for the event ahead. So I guess that has been the talk. I am sure all the players are looking forward for the Test match. Just leave aside the disappointment and get into the present."
On being questioned about playing Test cricket, which Team India does not get to often, Muzumdar simply said that the team needs to enjoy the occasion. England, their opponents, have not played a Test match since last year in January, while for India, it will be their second for this year after a crushing 10-wicket loss to Australia at Perth.
He also spoke on the first WC win being "always special" and so will be the first Test match at Lord's for his side.
"Just looking forward to the next four to five years, what women's cricket will bring. You never know," he said.
"Just have to explore those dynamics [of playing women's Tests]. And the more we do it, the more people turn up, the more popular the women's game becomes, the better it is for everyone. So, I guess this Lord's Test Match is a special one," he signed off.
India have suffered a setback ahead of their one-off Test against England at Lord's, with Pratika Rawal ruled out due to a knee injury.
Head coach Amol Muzumdar confirmed during the press conference that Rawal had suffered a cut on her knee which required stitches, while also announcing the addition of Priya Punia to the squad as cover, as per ICC.
Punia, who is available for selection immediately, impressed during the recent India 'A' series with two half-centuries and is yet to make her Test debut.
Rawal's injury is another setback in what has otherwise been a promising start to her international career. The batter played an important role during India's maiden ICC Women's Cricket World Cup triumph on home soil last year but missed the knockout stages after suffering an ankle injury during the final league match against Bangladesh.
India Squad: Smriti Mandhana, Yastika Bhatia, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh (wk), Priya Punia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Sneh Rana, Sayali Satghare, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh, Nandani Sharma, Shree Charani.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Muzumdar sir is spot on. Dwelling on the T20WC exit won't help anyone. But I'm a bit concerned about Pratika Rawal's injury - she was in good form. Hope Priya Punia makes the most of this opportunity. Lord's is where legends are made! 🙏
The T20WC exit was heartbreaking, especially after that World Cup win last year. But this Test is a chance to show our mettle. England haven't played Test cricket in over a year either, so it's evenly matched. Let's just hope our batting holds up - we crumbled against Australia in Perth. Time to rewrite history at Lord's! 💪
It's great to see women's Test cricket getting more attention. As a cricket fan, I think the ICC needs to schedule more Tests for women - one-off matches don't do justice to the format. India have a strong squad on paper, but they need to convert that into performances. Lord's will be a true test of character.
Muzumdar's message is good, but I feel the management should also look at why we keep failing in T20 WCs. Two consecutive group stage exits is concerning. That said, Test cricket is a different beast - hope the girls enjoy the occasion and play fearlessly. Priya Punia deserves this chance after her 'A' team performances!
Absolutely thrilled that women's cricket is getting a Test at Lord's! This is historic for Indian women's cricket. Muzumdar is
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