Pratika Rawal: I was not thinking this was my first Test

Perth: India debutant Pratika Rawal credited a clear mind and love for the long format for her battling second-innings 63 against Australia in the one-off women’s Test at the WACA Ground on Sunday, insisting she never allowed the occasion to overwhelm her.

“That’s the beauty of this game,” Rawal said in a video released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India Women on X. “I was not thinking that this was my first Test. This jersey is something which is very special to me. I carry a lot of responsibility on my shoulders. I was just inside enjoying my game. This is the format which I really love, which I want to score a lot of runs in. I just practically did what I can do best.”

The 19-year-old’s maiden Test fifty arrived after India had been forced to follow on, and it briefly raised hopes of setting Australia a competitive target. Yet the hosts were ultimately set only 25 runs, which Alyssa Healy’s side knocked off in 4.3 overs to win by 10 wickets and clinch the multi-format series 12-4.

Rawal, who spent 167 deliveries at the crease, said the experience underlined why Test cricket sits apart from other formats. “I’ve always told that this is definitely a format which tests your character, which tests your patience, which tests your mindset,” she explained. “When you’re playing amongst the best bowlers, when you’re playing amongst the best bowling attack, then you have to do something.”

Although her innings could not prevent defeat, Rawal’s composure on debut offered India a glimpse of a long-form future anchored in discipline and self-belief.