Rahane advised us on how to play in Tests, says Harmanpreet
Much has changed in women’s cricket since Harmanpreet Kaur played her last Test, way back in 2014. Her own masterpiece, 171 not out off 115 balls in the World Cup semifinal against Australia in England three years later, would play a big role in transforming the women’s game in India.
Over the next few days though, Harmanpreet and her teammates’ focus would be on the red ball, as India gets ready to take on England in the one-off Test at Bristol, starting on Wednesday. Her last, and second, Test, against South Africa at Mysuru, was also India’s last.
The visitors would go into the Test match without much practice. “But as players we need to adapt,” the India vice-captain said at a virtual press conference on Monday, after arriving at Bristol following a quarantine at Southampton.
Harmanpreet and other batters got some very useful tips on how to bat in Tests from Ajinkya Rahane, the man who knows a thing or two about playing long innings. .
“We got a chance to speak to Rahane, who has a lot of experience in Tests,” she said. “He told us about how to bat and what should be our approach in long-form cricket. He told us how to divide an innings into five-minute periods.”
Different conditions
She said the team was trying to make the best out of the short time got for preparing for the Test match. “The wickets here are totally different from those in India,” she said. “The ball swings here and we have been practising for that at the nets.”
