NAVI MUMBAI: As the Indian women's team returns to Test cricket after a gap of more than two years when they play England in a one-off Test at the DY Patil Stadium from Thursday, captain Harmanpreet Kaur asserted that her team will have to take the lead in furthering the growth of women's cricket. The commercial powerhouse of world cricket, India are, for the first time, playing two back-to-back Tests-against England and Australia.
Talking to reporters at the DY Patil Stadium on Wednesday, the 34-year-old pointed to the massive crowds at the Wankhede Stadium for the recently-held T20I series between India and England as a pointer to the rapid surge in popularity in women's cricket.
"Talking about women's cricket, it is improving day-by-day in India. A lot of people are coming to watch the match, which we saw in the last T20Is. Everyone in the world...they want to play in India. In India, things are changing quickly when it comes to cricket. A lot of people are extending their love and we are also trying to improve. We have an opportunity to take women's cricket as high as we can," Harman said.
"I know that a lot hinges on the Indian cricket team when it comes to women's cricket. The way the approach is changing in India concerning women's cricket, obviously, we have a lot in our hands," she added.
India would want to play more women's Tests, but it's a call left to the game's administrators, Harman said. "As players, we want to play more and more Test games. It is ICC and (the) board's call to take up," she said.
Though she twisted her foot in the third and final T20I against England at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, Harman looks set for her Test captaincy debut. "There was a little bit of soreness but I am feeling better now," she said.
Pictured looking at the DY Patil Stadium from the balcony of her nearby hotel on the morning of the eve of the Test, the 34-year-old admitted to feeling 'butterflies in the stomach'.
