India women's impressive show an opportunity for BCCI to expand Test popularity: Snehal Pradhan

Former India cricketer Snehal Pradhan reckons that India women’s impressive performances in Tests in recent times is an opportunity for the BCCI to improve the popularity of the longer format.

India women put up a wonderful fight in their maiden pink-ball Test against Australia in Queensland. They dominated the Test, which ended in a draw, with Smriti Mandhana smashing a historic hundred.

Prior to that, India women came from behind and displayed immense resolve to save the Test match in England in June.

According to Pradhan, the last three months have provided many encouraging signs as far as women’s Tests are concerned and the BCCI has an opportunity to take things forward.

"Let’s look at India’s last four Test, spread over seven years: In 2014 at Wormsley, India out-bowled a newly professional England and aced a fourth innings chase with eight debutants.

"Later that year in Mysore, Harmanpreet Kaur’s part-time googlies took nine wickets in the match as India bowled South Africa out twice after asking them to follow on.

"In Bristol this June, 17-year-old Shafali Verma was unleashed in whites, striking 96 and 63 on debut. Following on, India were rescued by then-unheard-of Sneh Rana, who battled for 80* to secure a draw," Pradhan wrote in a column for Hindustan Times.

On the pink-ball Test against Australia, the former cricketer pointed out that India women’s domination was proof of their massive improvement in the longer format.

"Last week we all saw the mastery of 38-year-old Jhulan Goswami, who taught the teenage Aussie pace attack a lesson or ten. India were two wickets away from asking Australia to follow on, and outscored Australia in terms of runs and run rate.

"If there were any questions about whether India can entertain in the longest format, they now lie six feet under," Pradhan further wrote.

The 35-year-old acknowledged BCCI Secretary Jay Shah's tweet to laud Smriti Mandhana but added that the Indian board needs to do a lot more from here on.

"The BCCI have not been unmoved. Secretary Jay Shah tweeted congratulations to Smriti Mandhana on becoming the first Indian to score a Test ton on Australian soil. But the BCCI now has a chance to go a step further," Pradhan, who played six ODIs and four T20Is for India, added.

BCCI can host women's Tests as a part of tours by visiting teams: Snehal Pradhan

The former cricketer also urged the BCCI to host women’s Tests when visiting teams come to India. She opined that the multi-format concept is proving to be engaging for women's cricket.

"The multi-format series template has proven engaging. And the wider effects of such a move could be landscape-changing… If the BCCI hosts women’s Tests as a part of tours by visiting teams, with no expectations of reciprocal Tests, we could get to see some titans of our game finally wear whites," Pradhan wrote.

"There is an opportunity for the BCCI to grow the longest format for women globally, an opportunity that exists by virtue of being the financial powerhouse of world cricket," she concluded.

Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, two legends of Indian women's cricket, have played only 12 Tests each in their illustrious two-decade long career.