London, July 9 (IANS) Terming it a “very big moment” for women’s cricket, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur on Thursday said walking out for the historic Test match against England at Lord’s, which starts on Friday, will be the fulfilment of a childhood dream. The one-off clash against England will also be the first time Lord’s will host a women’s Test match.

“It’s a very big moment for all of us. As a captain and as a player, I’m really looking forward to this opportunity. As kids, we always dreamt about playing Test matches, and playing at Lord’s was one of our dreams. I’m so happy that we have got this opportunity. Other girls are also very excited, and as a team, we are really looking forward to this opportunity,” Harmanpreet said in the pre-match press conference.

Further reflecting on the historical weight of the fixture, Harmanpreet gave a glimpse into the discussion within the Indian camp around it. “Yes, we were having a discussion that after so many years, this match is going to happen. It took us so many years to feel that women can also be part of the Lord’s Test matches.

“I mean, I was surprised to know that I wasn’t aware of this. But, I mean, it’s a great opportunity. I just look at it, maybe it’s late, but not too late. Still, I’m playing and getting this opportunity to be part of this historic day. So I’m really looking forward to this.”

India’s women cricketers rarely play a lot of Test matches, and transitioning from playing in the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup requires a quick mental and technical shift. However, Harmanpreet believes their rigorous net sessions after making a group-stage exit have put them in a good frame of mind.

“To be honest, it’s a bit challenging because we are not that used to playing red-ball. But I think we all are very excited about this game. We had four or five sessions where, you know, we all looked really good in the nets. So I think this is something we are not used to, but we are very excited. I think when you’re excited about something, you always give your best, and we are really looking forward to tomorrow’s game,” she said.

The skipper admitted that losing Pratika Rawal to a right knee laceration injury was a big blow, but remained confident in her bench strength and India’s traditional spin arsenal to put up a memorable show at Lord’s.

“It was a very sad moment when we got to know of it. We tried our best to make her feel comfortable and get ready for this game. But unfortunately, her condition is such that she’s not that ready. But I think we do have other players who are looking really good in the nets, and hopefully they’ll fill that spot.

“As a team, we always believe in going with our strengths, and spinners have been our strengths. Still, we are waiting to see what the final pitch is because work is still going on, and let’s see how things are there, and then accordingly, we’ll take the call,” she said.

When asked about her views on the overall volume of women’s Test cricket and the roadmap ahead, Harmanpreet placed her faith in the administrators but made her personal desires as a competitive player crystal clear.

“As a cricketer, we definitely want to be a part of many Test matches. But I think that’s a totally higher authority’s call. But I think till now, I have seen all the highs and lows, and I have seen women’s cricket growing all those years. I think we are in the right hands, and they’re the right ones to take the call.

“But if you ask me, as a player, I definitely want to play lots of cricket and don’t want to sit home and do nothing. But I think we are enjoying our time. We are quite busy, and in between, we are getting games. Last March, we played one Test, and now, tomorrow, we’re going to get one more Test. I think things are going the right way, and hopefully, in the future, we’ll see many more Test matches coming up,” she concluded.

–IANS

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