India’s domestic cricket calendar for women is set to witness the revival of red-ball cricket after a hiatus of six years. The BCCI is organizing the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal Multi-Day Trophy in Pune from March 28, marking the return of a domestic red-ball tournament last seen in 2018, comprising two-day matches.
This development follows India’s recent success in one-off Tests against England and Australia in December 2023. The last time India played Tests domestically and internationally was back in 2021, with the previous instance of women’s Test cricket in India dating back to 2014 during South Africa’s tour.
Hosted by the Maharashtra Cricket Association, the tournament will feature East Zone vs. North East Zone and West Zone vs. Central Zone matches to kick off proceedings. Additionally, North Zone and South Zone have advanced to the semi-finals directly through a draw, slated to meet the winners of the initial matches on April 3. Ultimately, the tournament will culminate with the final on April 9, with all matches spanning three days.
This initiative comes amidst growing calls for more women’s Test matches globally, as currently, only a few nations including Australia, England, India, and South Africa regularly participate in such fixtures. Players like Smriti Mandhana have highlighted the challenge of transitioning from shorter formats to Tests, emphasizing the need for adequate preparation and exposure to the longer format.
Meg Lanning echoed these sentiments, advocating for more frequent Test matches to enhance players’ understanding and competitiveness in the format. Furthermore, she stressed the importance of striking a balance between prioritizing shorter formats and nurturing Test cricket to ensure a well-rounded development of the game.
