India are aiming to draw confidence from a historic triumph as they prepare for a demanding day-night Test against Australia at the WACA Ground in Perth. The match arrives at a pivotal stage in the multi-format series, with Australia holding an 8-4 advantage after dominating the ODI leg.
For India, the upcoming Test represents their final opportunity to level the contest. A victory would bring the overall points tally to 8-8, which would mark a notable outcome for the visitors in Australian conditions.
Revisiting a Historic Victory
As part of their preparations, the Indian camp revisited a landmark moment from recent years. Players and support staff watched highlights from India’s memorable eight-wicket win over Australia at the Wankhede Stadium in December 2023.
That result carried historical significance as it was India’s first Test victory against Australia and it ended a winless stretch that dated back to 1977.
Head coach Amol Muzumdar explained that the team wanted to reconnect with the confidence and emotions associated with that breakthrough win.
“We just watched it before coming in… got those memories back and a lot of intel from there and data collected,” Muzumdar told reporters in Perth. “We will take a lot of positives out of it. I mean, that’s the first time we have beaten Australia in a Test match. But at the same time, we just have to play good cricket. We’re here to entertain and play good cricket.”
Different Challenge in Perth Conditions
While the memories offer encouragement, conditions in Perth are expected to pose a different test. The WACA surface may not be as fast as in the past, but it still tends to favour seam bowlers and can present challenges for batters, particularly early in the match.
India will approach the game with a relatively inexperienced pace attack. Senior fast bowler Renuka Singh has been rested due to workload management. Uncapped pacer Kashvee Gautam has been added to the squad, while Kranti Gaud, Sayali Satghare and Amanjot Kaur have yet to make their Test debuts.
Despite the lack of experience in the pace department, Muzumdar remains confident about the potential within the group.
“There is a little bit of inexperience, but I think they’re capable enough,” he said. “Sayali is very experienced as far as domestic cricket is concerned. For international cricket, they’re pretty young, but very exciting talent that we have.”
Return to Test Cricket
The Perth match will also mark India’s return to the longest format since their emphatic ten-wicket win over the South Africa women’s national cricket team in Chennai in June 2024. Women’s Test cricket remains rare, with India having played only 42 matches since their debut in 1976.
India head into the match on a run of three consecutive Test wins, though all were achieved at home. Their most recent overseas Test came in October 2021, when they secured a draw against Australia in a pink-ball contest on the Gold Coast.
“We have always maintained in the group that Test matches are the real format,” Muzumdar said. “We’re really excited to play a Test match in Perth and also at Lord’s in four months.”
India Hope to End Tour on a High
India started the tour strongly with a 2–1 victory in the T20I series, a result that few visiting teams have achieved in Australia. However, Australia responded by winning the ODI series, ending India’s chances of securing the multi-format trophy outright.
Even so, the Indian camp remains positive heading into the Perth Test, believing a strong performance could reshape the narrative of the tour.
“The tour has been really good. Not many teams have come here and won a T20 series in Australia. We are really proud of the entire squad,” Muzumdar said. “Preparations for the Test have been fantastic. Test matches are special and if we can manage to do it here it will be even more special.”
