Fresh from a landmark victory over England, Harmanpreet Kaur and her teammates are preparing for a one-off Test against Australia, kicking off this Thursday, December 21, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. It's a rare occurrence to see back-to-back Tests in women's cricket, the last instance being during the 2003 Women's Ashes. The Indian team arrives at this match with immense momentum after crushing England by 347 runs.
The current goal is to finally break their winless streak against Australia, having failed to secure a victory in ten previous Test meetings. Given the tight schedule, the team's stamina and mental toughness will be pushed to the limit. Moreover, with new faces in the lineup and a revamped coaching staff, the task becomes even more daunting when facing a nearly invincible Australian squad.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday, captain Harmanpreet highlighted that the management is being very careful about how much the players are pushing themselves. She explained that when playing Tests back-to-back, the priority is ensuring the athletes are physically recovered and mentally fresh. The 34-year-old captain mentioned that they've been particularly mindful of Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar, who played exhaustive roles in the last game and had little time to rest, ensuring their training was sufficient but not draining.
Harmanpreet expressed a desire to maintain their current momentum and excitement, acknowledging that beating a team as world-class as Australia is a goal for everyone. She praised the Australians for their balance and versatility across all formats, warning that they cannot afford to underestimate the opponents, even if key players like Meg Lanning aren't in the lineup.