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In the midst of India and England‘s upcoming one-off Test match at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, a new debate has emerged, centring around the introduction of a ICC Women’s World Test Championship. The opinions on this matter have become a hot topic of discussion, with India’s star opener, Smriti Mandhana and England’s power hitter Tammy Beaumont presenting contrasting views.
The India vs England one-off Test
As far as the Test between India and England is concerned, the match holds significant importance for the Women in Blue, especially after conceding the T20I series to the English side (2-1). However, as the focus shifts to the longest format, Smriti expressed her support for the idea of a ICC Women’s World Test Championship, drawing parallels with the men’s cricket scenario.
Smriti Mandhana’s perspective on Women’s WTC
Smriti’s excitement about the prospect of a ICC Women’s World Test Championship was evident, citing her experience watching men’s Test cricket and championships. Nevertheless, she emphasized that the final decision rests with the cricket administrators.
“I would love to be a part of the World Test Championship but that is for the boards and the ICC to decide. Having watched a lot of men’s Test cricket and championships, it would be really exciting to be a part of something of that sort. But as I said, that would be their (administrators’) decision,” said Smriti during the pre-match press conference.
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Tammy Beaumont’s counter-argument
On the flip side, Tammy, representing the English contingent, expressed a different viewpoint. She disagreed with Smriti’s stance, stating that it is not the right time for the introduction of a ICC Women’s WTC. The England batter pointed out the limited number of nations actively participating in women’s Test cricket, making it challenging to organize a mega championship in this format.
“I do not think it is quite the right time, if I am honest. At the moment there are only three or four nations that are playing Test match cricket regularly and potentially (there are) only three or four governing bodies that can afford to host women’s Test cricket. That will have to be a very big investment from the ICC, I do not think they are probably willing to put in,” said Tammy.
Tammy’s advocacy for multi-format series
Tammy further highlighted the financial implications, suggesting that a Women’s World Test Championship would require substantial investment from the ICC, which might not align with their current focus on developing T20 cricket globally. Instead, she advocated for a continued emphasis on multi-format series, using the Women’s Ashes as an example of a successful model that promotes Test cricket in the women’s cricket landscape.
“They are still trying to develop the T20 game across the globe, the way you have seen Thailand and other countries come into T20 cricket. I think that should stay as a focus, however, I would love to see more nations do maybe a multi-format series like we do in the Ashes,” the English batter advocated.
