The ongoing tour of England has been quite eventful for Team India, with several records already broken in just two matches. The Indian side has shown dominance, winning the first two T20 Internationals of the five-match series in a commanding, almost one-sided fashion.
The India women’s team has benefitted from a nearly month-long preparatory period in both Bengaluru and England, which has helped them acclimatise well to the conditions, said star all-rounder Deepti Sharma, on the eve of the 3rd T20I. The players underwent a 25-day training camp in Bengaluru before arriving in England eight days ahead of their T20I series.
On the eve of the third T20I match, Deepti addressed the press, saying, “The conditions were somewhat similar during the camp in Bengaluru. It was windy, and we got help to adjust to this weather.”
She added, “We came here about a week before the series; everyone was able to adapt well, and the practice matches also helped us get used to the conditions. The youngsters benefitted from it.”
Talking about the younger players, senior all-rounder Deepti Sharma praised spinner Shree Charani, noting that while it is never easy to deliver a standout performance on debut in England, the 20-year-old did so with perfection. She also appreciated how Charani assessed the conditions brilliantly.
The young left-arm spinner has taken six wickets in the first two matches, having made her T20I debut in the series opener where she claimed a four-wicket haul.
“It’s not easy on debut, but she took four wickets in her first game. She is pretty young; I appreciate that she assessed the conditions and bowled in the right areas because it is not easy,” Deepti said during the pre-match press conference.
The off spinner also acknowledged the BCCI’s role in arranging the preparatory camp. “Thanks to the BCCI for organising the camp; we got good practice in windy conditions against the moving ball,” she said.
Deepti also mentioned that one of the key aspects of the camp was the opportunity to bat in different positions.
She told the press, “All middle-order batters played at different positions during match simulations in Bengaluru. It gave us an idea about flexibility and helped avoid any surprises. We all are ready and clear about our positions.”
Commenting on India needing just one more win from the remaining three matches to secure their maiden series victory in England, Deepti said the team would focus on sticking to the basics and not look too far ahead.
“We will follow our processes and take it one game at a time. We won’t try to do anything different,” she replied.
When asked what the series win would mean given that the next T20 World Cup is in England in 2026, the No. 4 ranked bowler responded, “We are not looking that far. We are taking it only one game at a time and trying to continue what we are doing.”
However, a series win in England would be a significant milestone for India, not just historically but also strategically, with the next ICC Women’s T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in England in 2026.
Securing their maiden T20I series victory on English soil would boost the team’s confidence and provide valuable experience in local conditions. It would also serve as an early psychological advantage, helping the players and coaching staff understand what it takes to succeed in English conditions, an insight that could prove crucial when they return for the multi-nation tournament.
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