The one-off historic Test between India women and England women is all set to take place at the County Ground in Bristol from June 16 (Wednesday). This marks the return of Mithali Raj & Co to the Test fold after seven years while the hosts resume red-ball cricket after two years.
India last played a Test against South Africa at home in 2014. The last time they took on England in a Test (and won) was earlier that same year in Wormsley, and the one previous to that dates back another eight years, in 2006. The visitors will hand over debut caps to a couple of cricketers. Mithali Raj, who has represented India for over 22 years, has only played 11 Tests in her career.
The likes of Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur, who are vital cogs in the Indian Women’ limited-overs setup, will be key as they tackle the English in their own backyard. The onus will be on veteran Jhulan Goswami to come up with the goods with the ball, alongside Deepti Sharma and Poonam Yadav.
India Women will be up against a dominant England side led by the experienced Heather Knight. The hosts have a good mix of youth and experience, holding them in good stead ahead of the one-off Test. Although England Women will start the Test as the clear favorites, one cannot take India Women lightly.
Match Details
Match:Â England Women vs India Women, Only Test
Date and Time:Â 16th June 2021, at 3:30 PM IST
Venue:Â County Ground, Bristol
Pitch Report
Inclement weather could play spoilsport during the Test, with the chances of an uninterrupted game being low. As seen in County matches at the County Ground in Bristol, the pacers should have a significant say in the proceedings with ample swing on offer.
The batters will need to bide their time in the middle to see out the initial new ball phase. As the match progresses, the spinners will also come into play, making it tough going for the batters. Both teams will ideally look to bowl first upon winning the toss and maximize the bowling-friendly conditions upfront.
England Women vs India Women Dream11 Fantasy Suggestions
Fantasy Suggestion #1: Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Mithali Raj, Punam Raut, Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver, Deepti Sharma, Jhulan Goswami, Sophie Ecclestone, Anya Shrubsole and Shikha Pandey
Captain: Heather Knight. Vice-captain: Harmanpreet Kaur
Fantasy Suggestion #2: Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Mithali Raj, Punam Raut, Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver, Deepti Sharma, Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Anya Shrubsole, and Shikha Pandey
Captain: Tammy Beaumont. Vice-captain: Harmanpreet Kaur
