Aussies to heed England's harsh lessons in one-off India Test

A "philosophical" England captain Heather Knight says her team will take plenty out of their Test match thrashing in Mumbai, as she lamented the lack of opportunity to put those lessons to immediate use.

The Test was a one off, and England now return home not knowing when they will next play a Test in India, given this game at DY Patil Stadium was their first since 2005.

But across town, Australia's players and staff were keenly keeping tabs on the action and are hoping to become the beneficiaries of England's harsh lessons in their own one-off Test against the hosts at Wankhede from December 21.

Coaches and analysts could have filled notebook upon notebook with observations as England were dismissed for 131 in an extended first session of day three, to see India seal a record-breaking 347-run win.

"None of us have played a Test match here before," Knight said on Saturday. "We were trying to adapt in the moment, with two days' preparation. 

"We have some real learnings, but it's the first time we've bowled in a Test match in these conditions (and) if we had a two, three-match series I think we would have learnt a lot from it. 

"So I think that's why we're kind of philosophical about losing the Test match.

"We were desperate to win it and desperate to play really well, but India massively outplayed us."

Off-spinner Deepti Sharma did the bulk of the damage in England's first innings, taking 5-7 to help roll the tourists for 136, and she backed up with 4-32 on Saturday as she cleaned up England's tail.

But it wasn't just the spinners performing for India – quick Pooja Vastrakar (3-23) inflicted the early blows to England's top order on day three, including bowling Natalie Sciver-Brunt for a golden duck. 

"I think the off-spinners for both teams actually felt more threatening since there's a lot more deterioration of the pitch, the left-armers to the right-handers had to bowl a little bit more in the less trafficked areas so it's harder to get that sharp turn," Knight said.

"We (also) identified that the wobble ball was really effective … I think the main learning for our seamers is around consistently executing and I think that's something Pooja in particular did today, she was really tricky when she bowled her wobble ball on a really good length."

Planning means little without practice, and Australia – who have not played a Test in India since 1984 – will at least have the benefit of a slightly longer preparation than England, who had just two training sessions between the end of their three-game T20 series against India and day one of the Test.

The Australians were put through their paces during an intensive five-hour training session on Saturday and will meet a Mumbai women's team in a 50-over-a-side red-ball practice match on Sunday.

They will then have a further two training sessions ahead of day one next Thursday.

Knight said the conditions at DY Patil had presented a steep learning curve for her XI – whose only experience playing in India has come in ODIs and T20Is – with the pitch deteriorating significantly after the opening day.

"I think these conditions were really extreme, we've never seen that sort of spin before and that sort of dryness in a pitch," she added. "In the main formats that we play – T20 cricket, 50-over – you're not going to get as much of that. 

"I think it probably deteriorated a little bit faster than we were expecting.

"When you do face these extreme conditions, it really challenges you and exposes areas in your game that you need to be better at, and different skill sets that you need to have in different conditions."

Meanwhile India will head into the Test at Wankhede not only match-hardened, but with an extra day-and-a-half of rest under their belts thanks to their massive win.

The original three-day turnaround between the Tests would have had the Australians hopeful their rivals would turn up already fatigued, but India spent just 62.6 overs in the field.

The game could have been over even more quickly, had Harmanpreet Kaur enforced the follow on when her team bowled England out for 136 on day two to secure a 292-run first-innings advantage.

Instead, she batted on, gifting her top- and middle-order additional time in the middle.

India's only real concern is an injury to debutant first drop Shubha Satheesh, who struck 69 in India's first innings but did not bat in the second after reportedly sustaining a hairline fracture to a finger on her left hand.    

Australia's multi-format tour of India

December 21-24: Test match, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

December 28: First ODI, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

December 30: Second ODI, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

January 2: Third ODI, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

January 5: First T20I, DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai

January 7: Second T20I, DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai

January 9: Third T20I, DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Lauren Cheatle (Test only), Heather Graham, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris (T20s only), Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

India Test squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Sneh Rana, Shubha Satheesh, Harleen Deol, Saika Ishaque, Renuka Singh Thakur, Titas Sadhu, Meghna Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Pooja Vastrakar