Harmanpreet Kaur believes the lack of sufficient playing time in the longest format in the lead up to India Women's return to Test cricket after almost seven years is offset to some extent by a positive attitude & heeding the advice received from Ajinkya Rahane. can be done.
"I have played only two red-ball matches [in international cricket]. When we discuss as a batting group... this time we got a chance to talk to Rahane as well," said Kaur, India Test Vice-Captain Said of "easy & friendly conversation" with his male counterpart. "He shared with us his knowledge of how to bat in the longest format and how to divide his innings into parts.
"We may not have much practice under our belt [going to Tests], but mentally [we are prepared]. We have discussed a lot of things so that we prepare ourselves well for the match Even in the nets, we tried to have a good mindset because when you are happy, apart from thinking too much about your batting, you play well."
Both the Indian teams served a tough quarantine in Southampton upon their arrival in the UK on 3 June. The women's contingent traveled to Bristol on Monday for the one-off Test against hosts England, starting on Wednesday. The opening match of a seven-match multi-format assignment, is India's 1st outing in the Test format since the one-off Test at home against South Africa in November 2014. On the domestic circuit, the last multi-day women's competition - the Senior Women's Inter-Zonal Three-Day Game - was held in Thiruvananthapuram in March–April 2018.
Kaur admitted that inadequate preparation for the tour was not ideal, but welcomed the revival of Test cricket for her team.
"Whatever time we have got [since coming out of quarantine], we have tried to simulate match scenarios as much as possible & try to put ourselves in the best frame possible," Kaur said. "We did not get much time to prepare, and for any practice game. Personally, adapting to the situation is imperative.
"The surfaces are different from what we get in India. We have practiced against the swinging ball in the nets. We have 2 more days to prepare ourselves better for the match - so I hope that We will be able to do it well.
"It's a completely different scenario [to play with white ball]. I know we did not even get any home games with red ball. In the upcoming seasons & years we will get more red-ball cricket, which It's a very good sign for us."
As with the Test in the Women's Ashes, the Bristol Test will use the Kookaburra red ball (the Duke ball is commonly used in England), with England captain Heather Knight saying last week that "we are going to use the Kookaburra In this match because we are going to use it in the Ashes & it is no secret that this Test match is a big part of our preparation going into that Ashes series and the away Ashes Test match."
Kaur said the Kookaburra has not presented much of a challenge in India's practice sessions so far.
"Playing with the kookaburra was not much different as the ball has almost the same size & weight [as we use the white ball in limited-overs cricket]. Last time we played [a Test], we got red The ball was felt. A little heavier than the white version, which makes you trust your timing more. But the Kookaburra white & red ball feel the same; just the color is different. We loved playing with it because when you use the whites & you play with the red ball, it's a completely different feeling."
When asked about the possibility of 17-year-old big-hitter Shafali Verma making her debut on Wednesday, Kaur insisted that it was important for the senior players and the team management to avoid talking too much with the young batsman.
Kaur said, “We've never tried to tinker with Shafali too much because she is a natural player, & if you try to do too much technique and game planning with her, she can get upset because She is only 17 years old," said Kaur. “It is not right to burden him with too many thoughts.
"We all try to create a good environment for her so that she can feel less pressure & enjoy her cricket well. She looked great in the nets, & I hope she gets a chance to play." She will do it if she gets it. Better."
With regard to Jhulan Goswami, the senior-most bowler in the Indian attack, Kaur was hopeful that the 38-year-old pacer would repeat the consistency & success that has been the hallmark of his nearly 2-decade long international career in this Test.
“She always takes the lead whenever we're on the field,” said Kaur. "She has always been special to us because her quota [of overs] is [important]. She will always give us success whenever we need it. Not only she but all the bowlers are very important because in Test matches you need successes , & I think she will be great in this match as well."
The tour of England also marks the return of head coach Ramesh Powar's first assignment since replacing WV Raman last month. Kaur, who is also India's T20I captain, said her talks with Powar on the ongoing tour were no different than during his 1st stint in the position ending with the 2018 T20 World Cup, following a high-profile controversy. , which included myself, ODI captain Mithali Raj, Kaur, T20I vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, & several members of the now-defunct committee of administrators that oversees the BCCI.
“My conversations with him have been [as before]. He is someone who is involved in the game all the time & expects the same from the players. Whenever you talk to him, you feel like you are in a match He asks you to imagine yourself in a match situation & find out how you would react to it.
"I get a lot of information to talk to him because he has also played a lot of cricket including T20 cricket. So the experience is the same. Whatever we did in 2018, we are still repeating those things."