Women's Test Cricket: History, Records, and the Future of the Long Game

The History of Women's Test Cricket

Women's Test cricket began on 28 December 1934 when England played Australia in Brisbane — six decades after the first men's Test in 1877. Women's Tests used the same five-day format as men's cricket in the early years. However, the proliferation of limited-overs formats from the 1970s onwards meant that women's Test cricket became increasingly rare — several nations went years without playing a women's Test by the 2000s.

The Greatest Women's Test Players

Women's Test cricket has produced outstanding individuals. Jan Brittin of England averaged 49.61 in Tests over a career from 1979–1998. Mithali Raj of India is the most prolific scorer in women's ODI history with over 7,800 runs, and appeared in Women's Tests across two decades. Ellyse Perry of Australia holds multiple women's cricket records and is widely considered the greatest women's cricketer of the modern era.

The Revival of Women's Tests

Since 2021, women's Test cricket has experienced a deliberate revival. The Ashes Women's series introduced a multi-format system where points are awarded for Test results, ODIs, and T20s — giving Tests relevance within a series context. England vs India women's Tests at prestigious venues have attracted growing crowds. Cricket boards including England, Australia, India, South Africa, and New Zealand are now committing to more Women's Tests per cycle.