South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt calls for more Women's Tests
What's the story
South Africa women's cricket team captain Laura Wolvaardt has called for more Test matches in the women's game.
She feels Test cricket is the ultimate form of the sport and should be given more importance at the elite level.
Despite just 26 Test series being played in two decades (12 of them between England and Australia), Wolvaardt hopes for more Test matches in the future.Here's more.
Concerns
Wolvaardt disappointed by lack of Test matches
Wolvaardt was disappointed by the lack of Tests for teams such as NZ, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Despite New Zealand men's team winning the first-ever World Test Championship in 2021, their women's team hasn't played a single Test since 2004.
"It's very disappointing that these teams haven't been able to play a Test match," Wolvaardt told Reuters in a recent interview.
She feels that players from these countries, particularly New Zealand, would shine in Test cricket if given a chance.
Personal journey
Wolvaardt's journey in Test cricket
Wolvaardt made her Test debut in 2022 and scored her first century two years later.
She is only the third player to score a hundred in all three international formats after England's Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont.
"I love Test cricket ... it's definitely a big challenge," she said, adding that she hopes for more such matches in the future.
"It's the ultimate form of the game, so I would love to see more of it," she added.
Domestic leagues
Domestic leagues vital for women's cricket growth, says Wolvaardt
Further, Wolvaardt also emphasized on the role of domestic competitions such as the Women's Premier League (WPL) in India and Women's Big Bash League in Australia for the growth of women's cricket.
She said Australia have a pretty well-established system, having hosted the Big Bash for around 10 years.
South Africa, on the other hand, do not have a league yet. "We definitely need one in South Africa," she stressed.
Preparation
Wolvaardt prepares for World Cup in India
Wolvaardt recently played in the WPL's third season with the Gujarat Giants.
She feels the WPL has prepared her well for the upcoming ODI World Cup in India later this year.
"Whatever time you can get in India, I think is invaluable," she added.
South Africa will play a women's ODI tri-series with Sri Lanka and India, which Wolvaardt says will be an excellent warm-up for the 50-overs World Cup.
Numbers
A look at the Proteas skipper's Test numbers
Having played just four Tests, and has already raced to 255 runs at an average of 31.87.
She also owns one fifty and one hundred. Meanwhile, her highest score is 122, which she smashed against India in 2024.
According to ESPNcricinfo, 142 of her runs have come against India, at an average of 71.