"That's going to be crazy"- Smriti Mandhana reacts to pink-ball Test announcement
Smriti Mandhana has revealed that she never expected to play a day/night Test match in her career. She added she was amazed when the BCCI announced the Indian women's cricket team would face the Australia Women in a day/night Test later this year.
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo on Wednesday, Smriti Mandhana gave her views on the Indian women's cricket team's upcoming Test matches. Reflecting on their historic pink-ball game against Australia Women scheduled to take place in Perth from September 30 to October 3, Mandhana said:
"Frankly, when I used to watch the day-night Tests of the men's team, I actually never felt that I would be able to experience this moment - it's wrong to say 'I' at the moment - that the Indian team will be able to experience the moment. So, when it got declared, I was like, 'Oh, wow. That's going to be crazy.'"
Smriti Mandhana added that she was as excited as a small kid when she got to play her first day/night limited-overs match. The Indian batter opined that the pink-ball game would be a great moment for the Indian women's cricket team.
Smriti Mandhana talks about India Women's Test against England Women
The last time the Indian women's cricket team played a Test match was in 2014 against the South Africa Women in Mysore. India Women will play two Test matches in the next few months. Ahead of the Australian tour, India Women will lock horns with England Women in a Test from June 16 - 20 in Bristol.
Having not donned the whites in the last seven years, Smriti Mandhana said the team was excited to play Tests again.
"When we got to know of the first Test against England, the whole team was really excited. We all were looking forward to it. The last Test match I was part of was in 2014, so it's been quite a long time. That excitement of playing a Test match after nearly seven years was on another level," added Smriti Mandhana.