“I am very excited (about playing a test at Lord’s). It’s a dream for every cricketer (to play a) Test match at Lord’s. I’d like to thank the BCCI for giving this opportunity and hopefully we’ll do well over the next two months and play our best cricket,” said Indian women’s team captain Harmanpreet Kaur in the press conference after the announcement of India’s squads for the 2026 T20 World Cup and the on-off Test, at the BCCI HQ on Saturday.
“It will be a marquee match. It’s an excellent opportunity for our players to get into the limelight at the Mecca of Cricket. It’ll be very interesting. I’m sure that our team will come out with colourful results,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said.
A couple of days back, the prestigious Marylebone Cricket Club had announced that Lord’s had broken the UK Women’s Test match attendance record for a Women’s Test in England with over 23,207 tickets sold already sold, even as there is still 10 weeks to go for the history-making game.
“Fifty years after Rachael Heyhoe Flint first led a women’s side onto the Main Ground, the Home of Cricket is preparing for a summer defined by women’s sport including its first ever women’s Test match – a landmark moment that with ten weeks to go, ticket sales have already surpassed the highest attendance record (23,207) for a women’s Test in England. The Test is the headline act in a record breaking season at Lord’s, with 21 women’s fixtures scheduled. From international cricket to domestic competitions and pathway finals, thousands of supporters will have the chance to watch women’s cricket at Lord’s,” the MCC stated.
India suffered a 10-wicket thrashing at the hands of Australia in their one-off pink ball Test in Perth in March, but drew their one-off Test in England almost four years back in 2021, which was played at Bristol from June 16-19. Making a smashing Test debut, swashbucking opener Shafali Verma made 96, missing out narrowly on a century on Test debut, while allrounder Sneh Rana slammed a match-saving 80 not out in the second innings, apart from taking four for 131 in 39.2 overs with her off-spin.
Harman is drawing confidence from India having done well in the English conditions on their last two tours-India drew the one-off Test in Bristol in June 2021, even as they lost both the ODI and T20I series 2-1, and did a ‘double’ on England, beating them both in the T20I (2-1) and ODI series (3-2) in July 2025. “We did really well in our last two series in England, both in T20s and England. It’s not that we struggled in England. Again, its’ a new series and we will have to start afresh,” the Indian women’s team captain said.
Meanwhile, outlining the Indian women’s team’s shortcomings in South Africa, where they lost the series 4-1, India’s chief selector Amita Sharma said,
“We were not able to take wickets in South Africa. We have tried to strengthen bowling. Discussions with captain and coach to try and take early wickets. More than batting, I was more disappointed with bowling,” Amita Sharma said.
Explaining why Bharti Fulmali was considered to be a better option than Harleen for a slot in India’s middle-order in the Women’s T20 World Cup, Amita said, “Harleen was considered for the middle-order slot but we felt that Fulmali is a better option. Harleen continues to be in the scheme of things, as she’s in the Test squad, but Fulmali is a better option for T20s.”
“Bharti has proven herself in domestic and WPL. Has helped win crucial matches. She is a perfect fit for the No. 6/7 slot that we are looking for. Nandani also is a proven performer in WPL and is among the top wicket-takers. Despite losing our top players, I am sure they will come to the fore and we have got good options in them,” Harmanpreet said.
Explaining the ‘lessons’ the Indian women’s team learnt from the disastrous tour, Harmanpret said, “I feel that the T20 Powerplays are really important. We have to target runs while batting and wickets while bowling. The Powerplay sets the tone, so we’d like to work hard during the Powerplays. Also the middle order, that’s not focussed too much on. But we will work on all these aspects, based on the lessons from South Africa.
The India women’s team skipper backed backed Jemimah Rodrigues, who didn’t have a great series in South Africa, to continue at the pivotal No 3 position. “Our batting order is settled now. Jemimah is one-down and we don’t want to change too many things unnecessarily. She will be back after a dip in South Africa. I’m confident about it,” she said.