The Indian women's cricket team commenced a one-off Test match against England on July 10 at the legendary Lord's Cricket Ground. This marks a historic occasion, as it is the first time in 142 years that a women's Test match is being contested in the traditional white flannels at the venue often referred to as the 'Home of Cricket'. England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt won the toss and elected to field first. The home side has handed Test debuts to Alice Capsey and Mady Villiers. Conversely, Team India has included N. Sree Charani for her maiden Test appearance, while Yastika Bhatia has been recalled to the squad.
Playing XIs for the Test Match
The Indian women's playing XI for this match features Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wicket-keeper), Deepti Sharma, Sayali Satghare, Sneh Rana, N. Sree Charani, and Kranti Gaur. England’s side comprises Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt (captain), Alice Capsey, Amy Jones (wicket-keeper), Mady Villiers, Sophie Ecclestone, Issy Wong, Lauren Bell, and Lauren Filer.
Historical Head-to-Head Statistics
To date, India and England have faced each other in 15 Test matches. Of these, India has emerged victorious in three, while England has managed to win only one. The majority of these encounters, 11 in total, have ended in a draw. Significantly, India has played 9 Tests on English soil without suffering a single defeat; the record stands at 2 victories and 7 draws for the Indian side in England.
Context and Records
The previous Test match between these two nations was held in December 2023, where India secured a comprehensive 347-run victory. Prior to that, the 2021 Test played in England concluded in a draw. India's dominance in this format against England is evident, as the team has remained unbeaten in Tests against them since 1995. Furthermore, India has won three of their last four Test matches. Tammy Beaumont, the English opening batter, has announced that she will retire from international cricket following the conclusion of this specific Test match.
