Smriti Mandhana & Tammy Beaumont share contrasting views on women's WTC ahead of IND vs ENG one-off Test
Indian opener and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has expressed her desire to feature in a women's World Test Championship (WTC) in the near future, especially given how much she is looking forward to representing India in Test cricket again.
Speaking to reporters ahead of India's one-off Test against England, here's what Smriti Mandhana had to say about the prospect of a WTC in women's cricket:
"I would love to be a part of the World Test Championship but that is for the boards and the ICC to decide. Having watched a lot of men's Test cricket and championships, it would be really exciting to be a part of something of that sort. But as I said, that would be their (administrators') decision."
Tammy Beaumont explains why she differed from Smriti Mandhana's opinion
Veteran England cricketer Tammy Beaumont was asked the same question as the one to Smriti Mandhana and she explained why she felt it was too early for a women's WTC. Beaumont reckons that there are possibly only India, England and Australia who could play Test cricket regularly.
Here's what she stated:
"I do not think it is quite the right time, if I am honest. At the moment there are only three or four nations that are playing Test match cricket regularly and potentially (there are) only three or four governing bodies that can afford to host women's Test cricket. That will have to be a very big investment from the ICC, I do not think they are probably willing to put in."
Beaumont also spoke about how England and India can have an all-format series like they have with Australia during the Women's Ashes. On this, she added:
"They are still trying to develop the T20 game across the globe, the way you have seen Thailand and other countries come into T20 cricket. I think that should stay as a focus, however, I would love to see more nations do maybe a multi-format series like we do in the Ashes.
"So say, India come over and we do Test matches, ODI and T20Is and (get an) overall winner from that. We do that from South Africa and New Zealand and all those teams and build from there.”
India won the third and final T20I of the series and will be hoping that they carry that momentum into the one-off Test against England at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.