England women's cricket captain Nat Sciver-Brunt said she wants the team to play more Test matches as England prepares to face India.
The request highlights a growing demand among elite female cricketers for the long-format game, which remains less frequent than limited-overs formats. Increasing the number of Tests could shift the competitive landscape of the women's game by prioritizing endurance, and technical skill over the shorter formats.
England announced its squad for a one-off Test against India on June 18 [2]. The match is scheduled to begin on July 10 [1] at Lord's Cricket Ground in London. The squad announcement revealed that five players are in line for a historic debut [2].
Sciver-Brunt said that the current schedule provides a level of opportunity that is not universal across the sport. She said the team is "lucky to be playing more Tests than some other teams" [3].
Despite this relative advantage, the captain said that the desire for more long-form cricket is a widespread sentiment among the athletes. "We would love to play more Test matches – it’s something the players have been asking for," Sciver-Brunt said [4].
The upcoming match at Lord's serves as a critical juncture for the squad to integrate new talent and test their capabilities against a strong Indian side. By pushing for more fixtures, Sciver-Brunt is positioning the England team to lead a broader movement for the growth of women's Test cricket globally.
“"We would love to play more Test matches – it’s something the players have been asking for,"”
The push for more Test matches reflects a transition in women's cricket where players are no longer satisfied with the growth of T20 and One Day Internationals alone. By advocating for the longest format of the game, Sciver-Brunt is calling for a more comprehensive professionalization of the sport that mirrors the traditional structure of the men's game, potentially forcing international boards to allocate more funding and scheduling to Test cricket.
