The Indian women’s cricket team will look to bounce back from a disappointing ODI series when it takes on the Australian women's national cricket team in a historic day-night Test, beginning Friday at the WACA Ground. It will be India’s first pink-ball Test in nearly five years and the final leg of the ongoing multi-format series.

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Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, India entered the contest unbeaten in their last five Tests. Between December 2023 and July 2024, they secured three consecutive wins at home against England, Australia and South Africa. However, their last two overseas Tests against England and Australia in 2021 ended in draws, including a hard-fought day-night match against Australia in which Smriti Mandhana struck a memorable century.

The one-off Test will decide the fate of the multi-format series. India claimed the T20I leg, but Australia dominated the ODIs to take an 8-4 lead in the points table. With four points available for a Test win, India must secure an outright victory to level the series. A draw would be enough for Australia to seal the overall honours.

India will take heart from their historic eight-wicket win over Australia at the Wankhede Stadium in December 2023, their first-ever Test victory over the Southern Stars.

The responsibility with the bat will rest on senior players such as Harmanpreet, Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma. There is also excitement around stylish right-hander Pratika Rawal, who is in line to make her Test debut.

India’s squad reflects a blend of youth and experience, featuring seven uncapped players for the pink-ball clash, including 20-year-old left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Sayali Satghare and Kashvee Gautam. Both Kranti Gaud and Amanjot Kaur, part of India’s recent World Cup-winning ODI squad, could earn their Test caps.

However, India will miss experienced seamer Renuka Singh, who has been rested for workload management. Young pacer Kashvee Gautam has been included as cover.

Australia, meanwhile, will aim to give captain Alyssa Healy a fitting farewell in what will be her 299th and final international appearance. The hosts have also named uncapped players Rachel Trenaman and Maitlan Brown after injuries to Kim Garth and Ellyse Perry, while Sophie Molineux is sidelined with a back issue. Garth and Molineux have been ruled out, but Australia remain hopeful Perry will recover in time.

The match begins at 10:50 am IST.

(By PTI Inputs)