Indian women’s cricket team play their first pink ball – Day/Night Test match on Thursday. Locking horns versus Australia, Mithali Raj and company were asked to field. To mark the historic occasion, fans and experts, including former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah wished the team good luck. 

Jay Shah on Thursday said that women’s cricket in the country has taken a giant stride. 

“It is a red-letter day in Indian Cricket as @bcciwomen take on @CricketAus in the historic day-night pink-ball Test. The ODI series was an engrossing affair and with the series currently at 4-2 points, this Test will be as exciting. Good luck, #TeamIndia,” the BCCI offcial tweeted ahead of the Test match. 

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“Indian Premier League is on but India’s Premier Ladies are about to play their first pink ball test. So let’s get behind them. Good luck @BCCIWomen, go well. #TeamIndia #AUSvIND,” Wasim Jaffer, who is currently coaching the Punjab Kings, said in a tweet. 

“Go Girls ,great to see in White with Pink ball . Best of luck,” a fan wrote. “Have a cracker of a game..” another one tweeted. 

Here are some reactions: 

After seven overs on Day 1, India were batting at 21/0. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Sharma kept finding regular boundaries to keep the score board ticking. 

India did well in their first Test outing in seven years, drawing against England in June, but the players and experts believe the skiddy pink-ball will pose a much tougher challenge for the visitors.

India and Australia last played a Test in 2006 with only Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami featuring in that game among the current players on both sides.

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Teams:

India Women (Playing XI): Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Punam Raut, Mithali Raj(c), Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Taniya Bhatia(w), Pooja Vastrakar, Jhulan Goswami, Meghna Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad

Australia Women (Playing XI): Alyssa Healy(w), Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning(c), Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Darcie Brown, Stella Campbell