Pink-ball Test against Australia really important for our Indian women's team, says Hemlata Kala

New Delhi [India], September 18 : Former India all-rounder Hemlata Kala believes that the upcoming women's pink-ball Test against Australia will be really important for the Mithali Raj-led side and she also said that she is confident of the Indian team showcasing a good performance.
Australia will be locking horns against India in a multi-format series, comprising three ODIs, one-off day-night Test, and three T20Is. The first ODI will be played on September 21.
"This will be an advantage for us. The experience of playing a pink-ball Test will benefit our girls, I just hope that we perform better than we did in the Test against England. I said that the Australia Test is important for us, because we are playing after a long time and is also a new format. Every format is important for us. The 50-over World Cup is coming, so to check the skills, it is good that we play the test match, as temperament is seen in all things," said Kala during a virtual interaction with select media organised by Sony Network.
"We did well in England and I feel we will do better with pink-ball. We have good medium pacers, and a leg-spinner, I think leg-spinner will be beneficial with pink-ball, I feel as far performance is concerned, it will be improved," she added.
When asked about the impact of Shafali Verma, Kala said: "Shafali has an important role to play and I think she will be successful as she has been in red-ball cricket, because her game is like that. She has a power-hitting game, so I feel that she will be successful."
"But along with it, I would like to say that for us along with Shafali, it is important that all batters click in this Test match, because everyone has a different technique. I feel Shafali's role is crucial and she will play a very important role in this Pink Ball Test," she added.
The former chairperson of selectors also said that the experience of playing a pink-ball Test will help the Indian side for future matches.
"I feel that the experience of playing a pink-ball test will help them in the future. We should perform better than what we did in the England Test and we should think on those lines," she said.
"Shafali plays a unique brand of cricket, if someone bowls a ball in her area, irrespective of the speed, she will do what she knows best. I do not think there is anything that can hamper her game," she added.
When asked whether women's Tests should also be played across five days instead of four, Kala said: "If we want to move towards having results, then I think the Tests should be played across five days. Right now, women's cricket, a four-day Test is being played for a lot of time. Now, runs are scored in women's game so the four-day format can be converted into five-day Tests, and hopefully, it will happen in the coming time."
Watch the Live coverage of India Tour of Australia Women on SONY SIX channels from September 21st, 2021.