In a bid to bolster women’s red-ball cricket in India, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is contemplating the reintroduction of multi-day matches after a hiatus since 2018. The move comes on the heels of the Indian women’s team’s recent success against England and Australia in Test cricket.
While the BCCI already organizes List A, T20I, and age group matches for women, the focus is now on rekindling the tradition of multi-day matches to provide emerging cricketers with a platform to showcase their skills and enable others to refine their game for potential national team selection.
The proposal is to initiate three-day tournaments following the conclusion of the second edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), scheduled to kick off in late February.
An official from the BCCI revealed, “It will be a three-day tournament to start with, beginning in a zonal format. The aim is to wrap up the tournament in March-April. With the absence of red-ball cricket for the women’s team, the BCCI recognizes the opportune moment to reintroduce multi-day matches and domestic cricket for women.”
Former India captain Diana Edulji emphasized the significance of playing longer format games, asserting that cricketers stand to gain invaluable experience and develop their skills by engaging in three-day and four-day matches. Edulji highlighted the importance of temperament and proper shot selection, stating,
“When you play the longer formats more, you learn to play proper cricketing shots. I request the BCCI to have at least one domestic tournament every year for the longer version. Skills will improve the more you play the longer version.”
The move to reinstate multi-day matches aligns with a broader vision to elevate the standard of women’s cricket in India, providing a platform for players to hone their skills and exhibit their prowess in the red-ball format.