India captain Harmanpreet Kaur believes the one-off women’s Test against England at Lord’s is a huge opportunity for her team to bounce back after their disappointing T20 World Cup campaign. She said a victory at the iconic venue would boost the team’s confidence and become a memorable moment in Indian women’s cricket. The match is historic as it will be the first-ever women’s Test at Lord’s. Harmanpreet said the team is determined to make the most of the occasion and use it to regain confidence after the World Cup setback. “I think this Test match is a very big moment for us because if we win this Test, it can be very good for the team. Because right now, you know, after the T20 World Cup, everybody was very sad that we couldn’t give our best,” she said.She added, “…in patches we did well, but unfortunately as a team, we couldn’t do so well (in T20 WC). But through this Test match, we can cover a lot of things. We can bring that confidence back. Then you feel so strong, you feel, you know, you’re the best team in the world.”Calling Lord’s a dream venue, Harmanpreet said, “It’s a very big moment for all of us. As a captain and as a player, I’m really looking forward to this opportunity. I think, as a kid, we always dream about playing Test matches, and playing in Lord’s is one of the dreams.”Harmanpreet admitted adapting to red-ball cricket is not easy because women’s Tests are rare, but believes the team’s excitement will help them perform. “Yeah, to be honest, it’s a bit challenging because we are not that used to playing red ball… I think when you’re excited about something, you always give your best,” he said.She also expressed hope that more women’s Tests will be played in the future and backed debutant left-arm spinner Shree Charani, calling her a key bowler who has consistently delivered breakthroughs and given the team confidence.
