BCCI set to revive women’s Test cricket with more matches, says Devajit Saikia

Guwahati, Nov 1: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to strengthen its focus on women’s red-ball cricket, with plans to increase the number of Test matches and introduce multi-day tournaments at the domestic level, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said on Friday.

Saikia confirmed that the board is “firmly committed” to expanding the women’s Test calendar while enhancing the overall quality and competitiveness of the domestic circuit.

“Basically, women are playing more white-ball cricket like T20Is and ODIs. About three years back, India restarted playing multi-day (Test) cricket with Australia, New Zealand, and England. When Jay Shah was the BCCI secretary, he took a special initiative to promote women’s Test cricket. So now, we are playing Test matches,” Saikia said.

The BCCI secretary emphasized the need to develop a stronger foundation for red-ball cricket among women players at the domestic level, much like the men’s Ranji Trophy.

“At the senior level, we must have more multi-day tournaments as that is one area where we have to work. All our domestic tournaments are mainly either T20 or 50-over matches. Maybe we will have to introduce tournaments having multi-day competitions, just like the Ranji Trophy for men,” he explained.

Currently, India’s women’s team primarily features in one-off Tests during bilateral series with England or Australia before engaging in three- or five-match white-ball contests. Saikia believes the time has come to expand that format.

“Already we are playing Test matches against England and Australia, but we must find a way to include multi-day matches in all bilateral series,” he said.

Saikia lauded the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian women’s team for their thrilling semifinal victory over Australia in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup as one of the most memorable chases in the tournament’s history.

Expressing pride and optimism, he said the performance has inspired a generation of fans. “The legion of supporters wearing the India Blues with ‘Mandhana’ and ‘Harmanpreet’ on the back will only grow exponentially,” he said.

Drawing a parallel with India’s historic 1983 men’s World Cup triumph, Saikia said a win in the upcoming final could have the same transformative impact on women’s cricket.

“When the Women’s Premier League (WPL) was introduced with professional management, sponsorships, and huge viewership across television and digital platforms, it brought a paradigm shift in how the women’s game was perceived,” he noted.

“The WPL has elevated the Indian women’s game. The team’s confidence, attitude, and body language have transformed over the last three to four years. If we win this World Cup, it can definitely have the same impact as 1983. Women’s cricket has already made a mark, but this win would take it to another level,” he added.

Saikia also described the packed DY Patil Stadium during India’s semifinal win as a heartening sight that reflects how women’s cricket has captured the public imagination. “This victory over Australia could just be a game changer,” he said.

PTI