Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur praised the courage of his team, his teammates and their hard work after India completed a massive 270-second win over England in the first Women’s Test at Lord’s on Monday.India ended the match on the fourth morning after dismissing England for 186 runs as they defended a formidable target of 457, sealing one of the most memorable victories in Women’s Test cricket.When asked if she could have written a better ending, Harmanpreet smiled and said, “No. God is a good writer. He has written it very well.”The pilot had great respect for the openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, whose partnership laid the foundation for India’s operations.“Yes, of course. I think our openers have been very strong. The way they batted in the first half, I think it was something special to watch. They always take charge and take all the pressure off us. In these Test matches too, the way they batted was great to watch.”India’s win was particularly important given the limited number of Tests the team gets to play. Harmanpreet said the sponsors played a major role in preparing the players to meet the demands of the longest format.“I think it’s the effort of the whole team, especially our support staff. Most of them have played a lot of Test cricket. They know how Test cricket works, and they are the ones who give us feedback every time. Thanks to them we were able to do it. I want to thank Amol sir and the whole team for the way they helped us in this Test match and the previous ones we played.”The win came after India endured a disappointing Women’s T20 World Cup campaign, but Harmanpreet said the team remained united during the tough times.“I don’t think this last series has been in us. But I know there are times when things can go wrong here and there. The way our support staff kept us together, that’s the thing to look at. Again, I want to give credit to Amol’s boss and all the support staff. They kept us together. I know the summer in England didn’t go as well as we wanted, but we came back strong in the Test match. I’m so glad we have good memories at home now.“Harmanpreet also praised Yastika Bhatia, whose century was crucial in India’s big show.“He is a great batsman. We had a very strong opinion about him, and that is why we put him in the XI. I am very happy with the way he is batting.”He also highlighted India’s approach, selecting Richa Ghosh and praising the efforts of the entire team and the playing coach.“We always have one player who gets our award. The way our whole team performed in this game is something special to see because playing is the part we have worked hard for as a team. When you see the results, you feel very happy. Our sports coach has been working hard for many years now, so I am happy with how the whole team did, especially Richa in the team game.“Looking to the future, Harmanpreet hopes that the win at the Home of Cricket will encourage more women’s Tests to be played in prestigious venues.“Playing at Lord’s is always special. I want to say a big thank you to the people who decided to bring one Test match here, and I hope we get more in the future. These kinds of matches bring great joy and excitement.
