England need more exposure to red-ball cricket ahead of Ashes after beating India, says Charlotte Edwards | cricket news

Head coach Charlotte Edwards has prioritized more red-ball cricket in her England side after their Test defeat to India as they build towards the home Ashes in 2027.

England were defeated by 270 runs in the first women’s Test at Lord’s – a result that continued a winless run in home Tests that stretched back to 2005.

Edwards took over from John Lewis in early 2025 after a 16–0 Ashes defeat in Australia, which included an innings defeat in the only Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

A win in a four-day match in the multi-format Ashes series is worth four points, up from the recommended two for each of the six white-ball games.

Edwards said Sky Sports: “India play a lot of domestic three- or four-day cricket and I think that has an impact.

“It’s a format that our players aren’t exposed to – and it’s something we need to improve them on.

“We’ve got to see it as a priority. In an Ashes Test worth four points, that’s a big part, so a lot of focus will be on four-day efficiency over the next eight or nine months.”

Edwards: I want to see more Test cricket played

Edwards continued: “That’s my job ahead of the Ashes Test match that we have to be prepared and better prepared. It’s highlighted to me that we have to improve in those areas.

“I’m really excited this winter to work with a larger group of players to expose them to as much four-day cricket as possible and hopefully accelerate their learning in this format.

“Girls want to play Test cricket and I think it’s an important format for us to learn discipline, technique, repetition of skills. I’d like to see them play more.

“We are playing two-day cricket at the academy level but these players need to prepare better so that they don’t play their first four-day game in Tests.”

Edwards felt India’s “discipline” was something that England could learn from, with the tourists showing his side that you “have to be on every ball”, while he also said his charges needed to be better in defense to counter accurate bowling.

The 46-year-old will now have to plan for life without former captain Heather Knight and fellow batsman Tammy Beaumont, who both retired from international cricket after the Lord’s Test.

Edwards added of the players’ decision: “I’m not surprised, but it’s still a shock when they say the news.

“Two amazing servants of English women’s cricket, two amazing batsmen and an amazing leader in Heather.

“They’re going to be sorely missed. But it’s a huge opportunity for our young players to step into that role now.”

‘England have a lot of work to do’

It is now two crushing defeats in the space of a week, with England beaten by Australia in the World Twenty20 final at Lord’s five days before the Test against India begins.

England have lost their last nine matches against Australia across formats and are yet to win an Ashes series since Edwards captained the side in 2014.

Pandit Ebni told Rainford-Brent Sky Sports: “(Edwards) needs to go and do some serious homework.

“He’s got to work on what his team looks like for the next generation, not just a tournament, now that Tammy and Heather (have retired) and it’s the end of an era.

“Are they going to back up a left-handed batter in Jody Greycock? Is it going to be Emma Lamb? Are they going to bring in Devin Perrine?

“These are different types of questions so they’re mastering and not just matching teams but outperforming them.

“It’s a lot of work to do.”

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