Indian women’s cricket team head coach Amol Muzumdar on Saturday said his side had got a taste of “what Test cricket is all about” after crushing England by a massive 347 runs in the one-off four-day match. Muzumdar was delighted with the effort of his players, and said he wants the team to continue in the same vein against Australia in the one-off Test starting December 21 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
“Absolutely brilliant stuff for the two-and-a-half days. No Test match is easy but the efforts that the girls put in, getting together 5-6 days before the Test at Wankhede and the preparation was nice to result into this win,” Muzumdar, a domestic stalwart, said after the comprehensive win.
“We had thought that we’d play in a certain fashion and I’d want them to continue to do that (score like that on the first day). We didn’t plan to score 400 on the first day. It’s a good sign for Indian cricket, all of them who made their debut.
“It’s the confidence they carry because England is a strong side. They (India) just got a taste of what Test cricket is all about.” He was effusive in his praise of Deepti Sharma, who earned the player-of-the-match award for her 67 in the first innings and a match haul of 9 for 39.
“I jokingly call Deepti (Sharma) ‘Stokesy’ (Ben Stokes’ nickname). Nine wickets and a fifty, she’s an important cog in the wheel and it’s important for her confidence.
“We have back-to-back Test matches for the first time and we’re looking forward to the Australia series as well,” Muzumdar said.
Deepti was proud of her effort and said the wicket at the DY Patil Stadium here offered a lot of assistance to the spinners.
“Feels very good because we were waiting for the Test to start. It’s a proud feeling and we bowled according to plan. We were quite calm batting on the first day, trying to build partnerships, that’s it,” she said.
“I was just waiting to bowl and keeping myself warmed up, got a lot of help from the wicket and I backed myself. Harry di (skipper Harmanpreet Kaur) was saying ‘bowl in your areas and the turn will help you’. We want to continue this in the next Test.”
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