India Women Target Historic Fourth Consecutive Test Win in Perth Day-Night Clash

India Women, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, aim for a historic fourth consecutive Test victory as they face Australia in the day-night Test in Perth to conclude the multi-format series.

India women vs Australia women Pink ball test Perth (Image Source: Google)

The on-going blockbuster multi-format series between India Women and Australia Women concludes with the day-night Test in Perth beginning from March 6. Australia is looking for an outright series win, in the Test, The hosts go into the Test leading 8-4 (2-4 in T20Is + 6-0 in ODIs) with four points on offer for a Test win. The maximum Harmanpreets’s women in blue can do is to draw the series, but the trophy shall remain with Australia, having won the last points-based series in 2021.

The Test shall be Alyssa Healy's final International (299th) for Australia. To honour her, the hill at the iconic venue has been renamed 'Healy Hill' for the duration of the match, by Cricket Australia. The fans are being encouraged to 'Fill the Hill' on day two in an initiative by CA and Westpac.

This is the third multi-format series between these two sides. In Australia in 2021, hosts won by 11-5 (ODIs 2-1, T20Is 2-0, Test draw). Then Australia toured India in 2023-24 and for a change, each format was counted as a separate series and there was no overall trophy presented. However Australia would have won the same by 10-6 (India won the Test + Australia winning ODIs by 3-0 and the T20Is by 2-1).

Form guide Australia: They have won their last two Tests, against England at the MCG in January 2025, and against South Africa at the WACA Ground in February 2024, inside three days. Prior to that, they had lost to India at Wankhede in December 2023.

Form Guide India: Undefeated in their last five tests. India won three Tests continuously between December 2023 and July 2024 defeating England, Australia and South Africa respectively, all played in India. Their last two overseas Tests ended in draws against England and Australia in 2021.

India had created history at Wankhede Stadium in December 2023, winning their first-ever Test against Australia by eight wickets. Australia scored only 219 after winning the toss and electing to bat at Wankhede. India gained an upper hand and built a 187-run first-innings lead in response.

Australia came back into the game on day three and at one time had 3-206 on the scoreboard. India captain Harmanpreet claimed two crucial wickets before stumps. Demoralised Australia further collapsed on the day four (5-28) and India needed just 75 runs to record their first Test victory over visitors.

The refurbished WACA Stadium in the Western Australian capital is all set to play host with sunny skies and high temperatures across the four days (38 degrees Celsius expected for day one).

*Some quick stats:

* Before recording a Test win against Australia in December 2023 in Mumbai, India was winless across all their 10 meetings (6 draws, 4 losses).

*Of the last nine Tests, Australia has lost only one (4 win + 4 draws). If they win this Test, they would equal their longest winning run in the Tests.

*India has lost only one of their past 17 women's Tests (7 wins + 9 draws). The innings and four-run defeat against Australia came at Adelaide Oval in February 2006. They are undefeated in their nine matches since then (6 wins + 3 draws). Another highlight is that India has won each of their past three Tests and with another win they will record a fourth consecutive victory for the first time in the history.

*India’s fine Test performance is also reflected in the record that they have claimed all 10 of the opposition's wickets in each of their past six bowling innings. A seventh consecutive innings here would be their outright longest such run in the Tests.

*Smriti Mandhana (629) needs 122 runs to overtake Shantha Ragaswamy (750) as the second all-time leading run scorer for India in Tests (On top: Sandhya Agarwal 1110).

The Test commences at 4.20pm AEDT (11.50 IST). This is a day-night Test. India previously played a day-night Test on the Gold Coast in 2021.