"Would like to go with our strengths": Harmanpreet Kaur ahead of Test against England
Dec 13, 2023
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 13 : India women's team skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has said she would like to for a team combination that reflects its strengths in the one-off Test clash against England.
In a career that has spanned over 14 years, Harmanpreet will play just her second home Test in Mumbai.
She has played a Test game once in front of the home crowd. She will get the opportunity to play just her second home Test at the DY Patil Stadium on Thursday.
"Butterflies are always there, no matter how much you have played. I missed the last Test because of injury and this time there is an opportunity to lead the team. The talk has been about being positive and playing with excitement. Only the ball colour changes and we play in whites, otherwise the process remains unchanged," she said in the pre-match press conference.
She went on to talk about the strategy that the team would adopt for a four-day Test but held back the combination that they could opt for.
"It is a four-day game. So even if you have to bowl for two days, you have to look at who can bowl for two days and who are those batters who can bat for long," India captain Harmanpreet said.
"If we look at the pitch and decide the combination, it will be different but if we look at our strengths, it will be a different combination. I would like to go with our strengths," she added.
India squad for one-off Test: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Sneh Rana, Shubha Satheesh, Harleen Deol, Saika Ishaque, Renuka Thakur, Titas Sadhu, Meghna Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Pooja Vastrakar.
England: Heather Knight (c), Amy Jones (wk), Bess Heath (wk), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt, Tammy Beaumont, Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey, Sophie Ecclestone, Emma Lamb, Charlie Dean, Lauren Bell, Kate Cross, Kirstie Gordon, Lauren Filer.
