In their recent match, the Indian cricket team, led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, achieved an impressive win over England with a huge 347-run lead. Harmanpreet’s game-changing fielding techniques were key to their success in this one-off Test at the DY Patil Stadium.
Harmanpreet Kaur praised India’s excellent fielding, highlighting it as the standout performance that contributed to their dominant show. She stated, “We scored the runs we aimed for, and our bowlers supported us in every way. They were well-prepared.” She emphasized, “The biggest strength for us was our fielding. Keeping up energy for over 90 overs is crucial, and we managed that well. Our strong fielding set the stage for everything else.”
Harmanpreet Kaur expressed her delight, stating that the team had a clear strategy from the beginning of the match, which they successfully executed. She emphasized that they had a few days to prepare, and all the players took responsibility and performed at their best. Today, the first 40 minutes were crucial, and he advised taking advantage of the morning conditions, which we did,” Harmanpreet explained.
Unlike England, who struggled with batting due to the pitch favoring spin, the Indian team adapted well to these different conditions, excelling in both batting and bowling from the start. Harmanpreet praised Amol Muzumdar, their coach, for his guidance, especially since she hadn’t captained red-ball cricket before.
“When batting, you understand the pitch’s behavior. In both innings, I figured out which balls and field settings worked best. That’s where our coach’s experience was invaluable. I relied on his decisions for batting order changes and bowling strategies.
She also commended the bowlers for sticking to the plan and adapting to unique field settings. “We set our field based on what we thought would challenge specific batters,” she added.
The captain also defended her decision to declare an overnight score of 186 for 6, missing a personal milestone. She prioritized the team’s position over personal achievements. “For me, it’s about the team’s strong position. Personal scores are secondary. In the second innings, we aimed for a 500-run lead for extra security. Despite losing early wickets, we were in a good spot. It was more important to let our bowlers use the morning conditions, so we went with that plan.”
