ndian women's national cricket team head coachdar  Amol Muzumwith captain Harmanpreet Kaur during a practice session ahead of the 1st T20I cricket match between India and England, at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023.

On paper, 2023 has been a big year for women’s cricket in India. The inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) franchise tournament was held, and professional contracts handed out to several up-and-coming players. The BCCI also announced its first move towards pay parity, bringing match fees paid to women at par with what the men get.

It was also a year when India went 11 months – during which they played a T20 World Cup, a home series against Australia, and an away series against Bangladesh – without a head coach. India’s 2023 schedule includes 18 matches in bilateral series – one more than England’s assignments, but fewer than Australia (25), South Africa (25), and New Zealand (20), the four teams alongside them in the top 5 of international rankings. They are playing even fewer international matches than they themselves did last year (23).