“She is an important cog in the wheel when she comes [to bat in the] lower order, bowls crucial overs, and gets wickets.”
India posted 428 – of which 410 came on the first day – in their first innings and batted at a rate in excess of four an over. Even in the second innings, despite losing six wickets for 186, the run rate was around four and a half.
“No Test match is easy. But the efforts the girls put in before the Test match – the players who came in five-six days before, we had a nice solid group that was working at the Wankhede Stadium,” Muzumdar said. “The preparation was nice, and it resulted in a Test match win.
“We had thought about playing in a certain fashion as a team and we will continue to do that. It was not planned as a 400-run day. But we had to be positive. Glad that the team responded. And resulted in a good first day.”
India wrapped up the win before lunch on the third day, a feat Muzumdar felt will hold them in good stead ahead of the Test against Australia next week.
“Good signs for Indian cricket,” he said. “All of them who made their debut [Jemimah Rodrigues, Shubha Satheesh and Renuka Thakur] batted and bowled well. England is a top side but at the same time, these youngsters got a taste of what Test cricket is about.”
