Debutantes in focus as India Women take on South Africa in one-off Test

Young talent debuts as India faces South Africa in a rare women's Test match, with focus on red-ball cricket.

The focus will be on young talent, especially the debutantes, when the Indian women's cricket team squares off against South Africa in a one-off Test starting in Chennai on Friday, a decade after the two teams last clashed in a five-day game.

With Test cricket not being a regular affair for women, as many as five in the Indian squad could get a debut in the longest format, after having established themselves and proved their mettle in the limited-overs circuit.

Also, with India coming off a 3-0 clean sweep in the preceding ODI series against the same side, the momentum is surely with the hosts although this will be a different format altogether.

The likes of Uma Chetry, Priya Punia, Saika Ishaque, Arundhati Reddy and Shabnam Shakil will be the ones to watch as they prepare for their Test debut.

The last time India competed in a red-ball match was December 2023, which was their first Test outing in two years.

Playing back-to-back home Tests against England and Australia (one each), the hosts were successful in both instances. the Indians last played South Africa in a Test back in 2014 in Mysore, winning it by a comprehensive innings and 34-run margin.

Although the focus has generally been on white-ball cricket for the Indian women, head coach Amol Muzumdar has mentioned that there will be more red-ball cricket going forward.