Wankhede Stadium to host women's Test between India and Australia in December 2023

The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai will play host to the one-off Test scheduled between the India women's team and the Australian women's team in December 2023. The Aussies are scheduled to tour India for an all-format tour, with all of the matches slated to be contested across various venues in Mumbai itself.

According to a report by Code Sports, the three-match ODI series will also be contested at the Wankhede Stadium along with the one-off Test. As far as the T20I series is concerned, the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai is expected to play host, much like the last time around. The three-match T20I series will reportedly be held in January 2024.

India last hosted a women's Test match in November 2014, which came against South Africa in Mysore. Australia's last Test match on Indian soil had also come at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, back in 1984.

All-format series with a combined scoreline has been a common sight in women's cricket through the Ashes series. Its success has naturally encouraged more such series' to be played.

India and Australia faced each other in an all-format tour in 2021, where the Women in Yellow emerged winners by an 11-5 margin, with the one-off pink ball Test ending in a draw.

The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai is currently in use for the 2023 ODI World Cup. The iconic venue has been assigned to host India's league-stage clash against Sri Lanka and one of the two semi-finals, among other matches.

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"We know when we’ve played shorter format it’s generally pretty flat" - Ashleigh Gardener on the prospect of playing a Test in India

Australia all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner had a massive say in Australia's Test win over England in the Ashes earlier this year with her spin bowling. She could be one of the players to watch out for as the Women in Yellow play a red-ball contest in the subcontinent.

Gardner will also be a bit familiar with the conditions, having played in India during the inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL) in early 2023. She represented the Gujarat Giants and had a stellar individual campaign for the franchise.

Gardner recently spoke about how conditions will play a role in the team's preparations.

"We know when we’ve played shorter format it’s generally pretty flat. So yeah, the Test match poses a different type of thing as well. But I think naturally, we’re going to prepare the way that we normally would. We’re going over there pretty early. So it gives us a great opportunity to actually get used to the conditions and get used to being back in India again,” she said.

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Will Harmanpreet Kaur and company make an impression against the mighty Australian women's team? Let us know what you think.