India vs Australia HIGHLIGHTS, Women’s Test Day 1: Indian openers consolidate on strong show by bowlers; IND 98/1, trails by 121 runs

In just 19 overs, India has managed to chip away nearly 100 runs from Australia’s first innings total. Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana got off the blocks with a blast, scoring at nearly six runs an over at one point. The wicket of Shafali did halt the run flow but India still ends the day in the driver’s seat. India’s trail is down to 121 and Smriti Mandhana is warming up for a big knock. 

That’s it from today’s coverage. We will be back for the action from Day 2 of this one-off Test match.

Final over of the day from Gardner. Sneh Rana is firm in defending the six deliveries. And the umpire takes out the bails to signal the end of the day’s play.

FOUR! Mandhana gets an outside edge. There is only a backward point who cannot stop the ball before it gets to the rope. Just the boundary off this Gardner over.

Jess Jonassen to bowl now. The change works, Shafali is LBW! She misses a straight delivery and sees it thud onto her back pad. A simple decision for the umpire.

Shafali Verma lbw b Jonassen 40 (59)

Sneh Rana off the mark with a cover drive for FOUR!

Gardner to Mandhana, one run with a cut to deep cover. Shafali works a back-of-a-length delivery behind square and picks two. A punch down the ground on the penultimate delivery for a single.

Perry to Mandhana, pulls the first delivery to backward square leg for a single. FOUR! A sublime drive down the ground from Shafali. FOUR more! This time Perry gifts a full toss on the pads, and Shafali uses her wrists to clip it to deep mid wicket.

Gardner to continue. Shafali comes out on her front foot to defend all six deliveries of the over. 

Perry to Mandhana. She drives to mid off and completes a quick single. A single for Shafali to deep cover. An inside edge for Mandhana on the fifth which deflects back onto her pads.

An inside edge for Mandhana off Perry which runs wide of the stumps and the keeper as well. 

Ash Gardner gives away four byes down the leg side in the next over.

Ash Gardner replaces Garth. Gardner almost instantly finds the leading-edge off Mandhana from beside leg-stump as the left-hander attempts to block a fuller delivery. Straighter this time and Mandhana presents a firm bat.

Ellyse Perry into the attack. She starts with a no-ball, overstepping and also concedes two runs to Mandhana through cover. Short but not short enough and Mandhana pulls Perry through square-leg for FOUR. Full toss and Mandhana slams it through cover for another FOUR. That’s as good as any drive you’d ever see. Mandhana flicks another behind square for a single and it’s another no-ball!

IN THE AIR AND THROUGH THE CORDON! Fine shape on the outswinger from Garth and Shafali slcies it through between second and a wide third slip for FOUR.

FIFTY up for India as Shafali pumps a fuller delivery through cover for FOUR more.

Back-to-back FOURs for Shafali as Garth continues to offer room outside the off-stump. India moving on nicely here against the new ball.

Tighter lines from Cheatle this time and Shafali gets off strike with a leg-bye. Cheatle hits length and the ball keeps a tad low as Mandhana fends it off the backgoot. Fuller ball to finish and Mandhana prods forward for a solid block.

Boundaries continue to flow and Mandhana eases into another drive through cover for FOUR, with Garth offering ample room outside the off-stump. Garth strays to the pads and Mandhana flicks it down leg for another FOUR. Misery for Garth early on as she concedes FOUR byes in another expensive over.

Length from Garth and Shafali cracks the ball through extra cover for FOUR. Another half-tracker and Shafali leans into the drive through cover for FOUR. 10 from the over.

Kim Garth from the opposite end. Short and wide and Mandhana opens her account first ball with a sumptuous cut through point for FOUR. Garth slides one towards the pads and Mandhana opens the face of the bat and guides it through cover for two runs. Full with a touch of inswing and Mandhana drives it to the cover fielder. STREAKY! The inswinger finds the inside-edge this time. Mandhana survives as the ball zips past the leg-stump for a FOUR down to fine-leg.

Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma walk out for India.

Lauren Cheatle, the debutant takes the new ball.

Cheatle starts with a delivery in the blockhole outside the off-stump to Shafali who digs it out. Fine lines outside the off-stump with a straighter one to finish. Maiden to start her Test career.

Rana to Garth, tapped to mid wicket no run. Works the second on the off side for one. 

AUSTRALIA IS ALL OUT! Cheatle dances down the track and looks for a heave over mid off. A slice off the toe end allow Smriti Mandhana to run back and grab the catch. 

Lauren Cheatle c Mandhana b Rana 6 (13)

Deepti again. After four dots, Garth unleashes a reverse sweep, gets it through point but only for a single. 

FOUR for Cheatle! Goes all the way in freeing her arms on a full delivery from Sneh. Beats the infield and picks her first boundary. Another FOUR! Garth uses the turn to glance a delivery down to fine leg.

Deepti Sharma with her third maiden over of the innings.

Sneh Rana’s 21st over this innings. Three singles in it - two for Garth and one for Cheatle. 

Pooja Vastrakar was given the ball but she is not allowed to bowl after not staying on the pitch. She still has some time to make up. Deepti is called in and she allows five from the over.

Gayakwad to continue. A single off the final delivery. Garth knocks it to mid on and sets off. Would have been in trouble had that hit directly.

Deepti to Jonassen. FOUR! Full and Jonassen hits it straight down the ground. A much needed boundary for Australia. Another review by India. Jonassen misses her reverse hit and is struck on the pad. It is three reds on the ball tracker and India finally gets the crucial breakthrough. 

Jess Jonassen lbw b Sharma 19 (61)

Lauren Cheatle is the last batter. India goes for another review for leg before, but this one looks like bat-pad. It is indeed the case and India has just one review left.

Yet another maiden from Gayakwad. The Indian bowlers have tightened the noose around the Australia run rate.

Shafali Verma puts in a dive at point to prevent Jonassen’s reverse sweep. Ensures Deepti gets another maiden over to her name.

Garth makes use of her crease to clip a delivery from Gayakwad and take one run. Jonassen misses her sweep and India has gone up for an LBW appeal. The impact is outside off and India loses a review. A nudge to cover point from Jonassen for a single. Garth’s edge flies past slip. Deepti Sharma cuts it off from point but only after the batters run two.

Deepti Sharma is on the off-stump mark on six deliveries out of six. Jonassen plays with soft hands to covers. She is beaten on the drive on the fifth delivery but there is no edge on it. Four maidens in the last five over.

Rajeshwari Gayakwad comes back into the attack and starts with a maiden.

Deepti Sharma replaces Vastrakar. Garth opens up her bat face to beat slip and pick a single.

Rana continues to flight her deliveries. Jonassen is also up to the mark and does not give in to the bait. Defends all six for a maiden over. 

Vastrakar again. Beats Garth’s outside edge on the first deliveries. The third one nips in to Garth which the batter barely survives. Goes full for the next three deliveries and Garth is content playing it safe.

Sneh Rana from the other end. Garth pokes at a wide delivery and gets a single to point. SIX! A gift for Jonassen. A full toss on the leg side and it is pummelled over cow corner.

Vastrakar returns to the attack. An inside-edge first-up for Jonassen and she reels in two runs through square-leg. The ball keeps a touch too low off length but Jonassen manages to hold fort. Just two from the over.

Jonassen and Garth return to the middle as India aims to wrap the tail up quickly from here. Can Vastrakar record a fifer as well?

India continues to build on the momentum from the first session, picking up wickets at regular intervals and not letting any of the big bats in the middle-order to score freely. Tahlia McGrath’s counter-attacking 50 was the only speck of hope for Australia but Vastrakar and the spinners have combined well to check the run flow and pick important wickets.

End to another fruitful session for India. Four more wickets in the bag as Australia manages only 77 runs in the session.

Flight and drift angling down leg and Rana’s delivery beats Yastika to the fine-leg fence off a deflection from Garth. DROPPED! Regulation outside-edge and Deepti spills a sharp chance at first-slip. 

Vastrakar goes short to No. 10 Garth who ducks efficiently. Three from the over.

LOUD SHOUT as Rana rushes one past King’ blade to Yastika. She reckons there is an edge and urges Harmanpreet for a review. India takes it. Spike on UltraEdge and King has to go. Eighth wicket for India.

Kim Garth comes in at 10. Rana hits the back-pad with a quicker delivery and the umpire raises the finger. Australia reviews. Seems like there is an inside-edge and Garth survives.

Alana King c †Bhatia b Rana 5 (11b 1x4)

Vastrakar comes around the wicket and attempts to slide the ball in towards Jonassen’s stumps. She draws one away and beats the outside-edge to the keeper. A drive to follow and Jonassen collects two more runs.

Deepti finds a thick outside-edge off King and it zips past Sneh Rana at first-slip for FOUR through third.

Vastrakar to Ash Gardner, OUT! Another pearler from Vastrakar. She gets one to shape away gently from length and Gardner feathers it to Yastika behind the stumps. Fourth wicket for the seamer as Alana King walks in at 9.

Ashleigh Gardner c †Bhatia b Vastrakar 11 (26b 1x4)

Vastrakar to Sutherland, OUT! Rapped on the pads and gone! Nip-backer from length has Sutherland plumb in front as Harmanpreet’s bowling change works again.

Annabel Sutherland lbw b Vastrakar 16 (58b 2x4)

Rana skims through another maiden. She attempts to cramp up Sutherland from around the stumps, using the flight and the rough to turn the ball in towards the pads.

Deepti again. Gardner gets on her back foot to punch a delivery to deep cover, gets two. That’s the only scoring shot in the over.

Sneh Rana back for a second spell. FOUR! Gardner guides one on her pad to the fine leg fence. Pushes the fifth delivery to long on for one run.

BOWLED! Deepti’s delivery creeps under Healy’s sweep and breaks the woodwork. Another crucial partnership broken.

Alyssa Healy b Sharma 38 (75)

Ashleigh Gardner in at No. 7. Gets off the mark with an outside edge past slip. It’s Sutherland who pushes for the single and gets it. FOUR! Sutherland makes the most of a delivery angling down leg, sweeps it for FOUR.

Healy drives to deep cover to add a run to her tally. No run for Sutherland in the over.

Deepti to Sutherland. Uses the turn to guide the ball down to fine leg for one run. A punch to cover from Healy, one run.

Rajeshwari for her eighth over now. WICKET! Healy perishes trying to sweep. She misses and the ball thuds onto the pad. She’s gone for a review and looks like there is glove on the way. Yes, there is. The instictive review from the skipper gave the hint that the decision might be turned. A maiden from Rajeshwari.

A single each for Sutherland and Healy from Deepti Sharma’s over.

Rajeshwari tosses one into the blockhole and Healy carves it through point for FOUR.

Short ball from Deepti and Sutherland plays a straight pull that bursts past Vastrakar at mid-on for FOUR.

Rajeshwari Gayakwad returns the attack. She teases Sutherland with varying lengths outside the off-stump. Sutherland charges but Rajeshwari darts one in quickly to force the ball towards the mid-off fielder.

Sutherland and Healy find singles despite Vastrakar’s improved lines. Three from the over.

Rana tosses deliveries on length. She slides one in and Sutherland flicks it towards mid-wicket for a single. 

Vastrakar continues. A traditional first-slip in place with Yastika standing up to the stumps. Vastrakar maintains tight lines but errs with a loosener that Healy glides between slip and point for FOUR.

Low full-toss from Vastrakar and Healy gently shuffles across and push it through mid-on for FOUR.

That must have been a delicious break for Healy as she starts off with a crispy on-drive past mid-on for FOUR off Renuka. Five from the over.

Back for the second session. Job at hand for Healy and the lower-order. Change of ends for Renuka Thakur.

The fall of Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath has swung the momentum back in India’s favour. The side got off to a dream start with Ellyse Perry and Phoebe Litchfield gone within the first two overs. But the 80-run stand between Mooney and McGrath brought Australia back into the game. India, however, clawed its way back just in time to have the advantage after the first session of the game.

Vastrakar back into the for her sixth over. Shouts for leg before as Healy misses her swipe. She was charging down the wicket, making sure the impact was outside the line. Mooney cuts on the up for a couple.

WICKET! It’s the end of Beth Mooney. Vastrakar extracts bounce with a short-pitched delivery. Mooney fends at it and hands a catch to first slip.

Beth Mooney c Rana b Vastrakar 40 (94)

Rana to continue. Healy drives to deep cover to pick a single. This gets Australia to 100.

SIX! Healy gets off the mark in style. Steps out to get to the pitch and launches it over long on. An edge on the fifth delivery, Healy takes a single.

A maiden over from Rana. Mooney happy to block on length. A couple of hit and miss instances too.

Deepti Sharma to Mooney, collects a couple with a cover drive. Mooney has been given leg before! The ball pitches on the full on her front foot and the umpire raises his finger. Australia takes a review. And it is successful. Mooney survives after the ball tracker shows the ball going down leg.

Rana to continue. A soft tap to cover from Mooney to pocket a single. Healy still not able to get off the mark. Just one from the over. 

Deepti Sharma into the attack. Mooney gets a single on the first delivery with a punch to deep cover. Healy firm in her defence on the first couple of deliveries.

Rana’s first delivery stays low but Mooney manages to get bat on it. Taps the next to mid wicket for a single. McGrath misses out on a full toss, drives it straight in the direction of mid off. BREAKTHROUGH! McGrath chips to short mid wicket. She wants to flick this flighted delivery but ends up handing a soft catch to Gayakwad. 

Tahlia McGrath c Gayakwad b Rana 50 (56)

Gayakwad for her fifth over. FIFTY for McGrath! Gets it with a punch through the off side. Two runs for Mooney. Six runs from the over.

Another tight over from Rana. Allows just two singles from it.

Gayakwad to Mooney. FOUR. Drops it a touch short and that is enough for the batter to rock back and cut it through the off side. A single to point on the fourth delivery.

Rana to Mooney, cut away to deep point for one run. McGrath drives to deep cover for a single. Another cut shot from Mooney to collect a single.

Gayakwad for her third over. Just two singles from it. 

Rana to Mooney, makes room and cuts it behind square for one. Another chance gone! An edge off McGrath which takes Bhatia’s glove and falls short of Deepti Sharma at slip. A single on the next delivery. 

Gayakwad to McGrath. FOUR! Driven between cover and mid off. That’s the only scoring shot in the over. 

Just two runs from Rana’s next over. 

Rajeshwari Gayakwad for the first time. FOUR! After four deliveries on the money, Gayakwad gives width. McGrath needs to invitation to profit off that one. FIFTY partnership between the pair.

The first change from India. Right-arm off-spinner Sneh Rana to bowl. Mooney is struck on the front pad, as she is getting back to her crease from her front-foot stride, Richa Ghosh dives at silly point and hits the stumps. A third umpire check confirms she is safe. A maiden to start for Rana. A couple of appeals in the over too.

Renuka again. McGrath runs it down to fine leg for a single. Mooney opens her bat face to guide the ball between backward point and cover, two runs taken. Mooney’s cover drive on the fifth gets her three runs.

Vastrakar for her fifth. FOUR! Again strays wide and McGrath is onto it in a flash. Harmanpreet finally takes the cover fielder deep. 50 up for Australia with McGrath’s single to deep cover.

FOUR! A punch through covers for McGrath off Renuka. A single on the next to mid wicket. FOUR for Mooney off the final delivery. Her cover drive pops up in the air for a moment but goes wide of the fielder. 

Vastrakar again. Mooney on strike. The umpteenth time Mooney misses but manages to avoid an edge too. Happens three times in the over. A maiden from Vastrakar.

Renuka to Mooney, one run. A tap to cover and a quick single. A gentle push from McGrath takes the ball past cover, allowing two runs. PUT DOWN! McGrath’s slash gets an edge but Deepti Sharma cannot hold onto it at second slip. FOUR off the final delivery through backward point.

FOUR to begin! McGrath cuts on the up and collects another boundary off Vastrakar. The final delivery nips back in and McGrath is able to flick it just in time for two runs. Eight from the over.

​

IND vs AUS: Australia’s Phoebe Litchfield dismissed for diamond duck in one-off Test

Australia opener Phoebe Litchfield became the first woman to be dismissed for a diamond duck in Test cricket on Day 1 of the one-off matcha against India at the Wankhede Stadium.

Renuka to Mooney, shouts for LBW. India takes a review. Nips into the batter and catches her on the front pad. This could be a close call. Mooney survives only because of the ‘Umpire’s call’ on wickets. Yastika Bhatia comes up to the stumps to put on pressure on the batter. Two more for Mooney with a flick to deep square.

Vastrakar to McGrath. FOUR! Room on offer for the right hander and she leans on her front foot to send it through covers. FOUR more! This time it is square-driven through cover point.

Renuka to continue. Mooney defends the first delivery. Leans in on the next two to block. An inside edge but Mooney is lucky with the ball missing the stumps and running down to fine leg, one run. McGrath drives to mid off for the second single of the over. 

Pooja Vastrakar from the other end. FOUR! Ellyse Perry gets a thick edge and the ball flies between second slip and gully. GONE! Vastrakar rearranges Perry’s stumps. A sharp inswinger which passes between bat and pad to knock the stumps.

Ellyse Perry b Vastrakar 4 (2)

In walks Tahlia McGrath. Two dot balls for her to start.

Renuka to Mooney, dot. Gets the ball to shape away from outside the leg stump. The next two also move away from the left-hander and beat Mooney’s edge. Three swing and misses. First runs for Australia, Mooney clips it past the short leg fielder for two.

RUN OUT! Phoebe Litchfield falls without facing a single delivery. A horrendous mix up between the batters. Mooney edges wide off gully and wants a single. Yes-No between the two as Jemimah Rodrigues gets to the ball and hands the ball to Yastika Bhatia at the strikers end to give India the ideal start.

Phoebe Litchfield run out (Rodrigues) 0 (0)

Aussie openers Phoebe Litchfield and Beth Mooney make their way to the square.

For India, it will be Renuka Singh to take the new ball. She has two slips and a gully in place.

India and Australia line up for the national anthems.

India XI: Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia (WK), Sneh Rana, Richa Ghosh (debut), Pooja Vastrakar, Renuka Thakur, Rajeshwari Gayakwad.

Australia XI: Beth Mooney, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Alyssa Healy (c, wk), Annabel Sutherland, Ash Gardner, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Kim Garth, Lauren Cheatle (debut)

TOSS: Australia wins toss, opts to bat

Test Cap No. 94 for Richa Ghosh as she makes her debut at the Wankhede.

Wicket-keepers: Beth Mooney, Allysa Healy

Batters: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Tahlia McGrath, Jemimah Rodrigues

All-rounders: Ellyse Perry, Deepti Sharma, Ashleigh Gardner (vc)

Bowlers: Megan Schutt, Renuka Singh Thakur, Rajeshwari Gayakwad

Team composition: IND 5-6 AUS | Credits Left: 7.5

Matches played: 10

India Women won: 0

Australia Women won: 4

Drawn: 6

Last result: Match drawn (Carrara; Sep-Oct 2021)

Last five results: IND won - 0; AUS won - 3, Draw - 2

Matches played: 4

India won: 0

Australia won: 0

Drawn: 4

Last result: Match drawn (Wankhede; February 1984)

Predicted playing 11s:

India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Sneh Rana, Renuka Thakur Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad.

Australia: Beth Mooney, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Alyssa Healy (c & wk), Jess Jonassen, Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt

“We didn’t get too many opportunities in the Test format when we were playing cricket, but hopefully, the new generation will get many more games. We have a busy schedule in the T20Is and ODIs, but Tests are actually a format that teaches you patience and gives a chance to improve your skills,” India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said after her first game as Test skipper. She led the team to a thumping 347-run win over archrival England in the one-off Test in Navi Mumbai this month.

The case for more women’s Tests — long overdue but not as straightforward

India women are scheduled to play only one more Test match in the 2022-25 women’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) cycle, at home, in the 2023-24 season.

After dismantling England, India Women will be eager to tick another bold point in its bucket list, a maiden win in the traditional format against Australia, ahead of the one-off Test here from Thursday.

India has never beaten Australia in any of its 10 Tests spanning over 46 years -- home or away -- as the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side would know that there could be no better opportunity to achieve that considering it is playing on a pitch that is expected to favour the spinners.

The Indian bowlers, especially offie Deepti Sharma, showed remarkable ruthlessness against England while scoring a mammoth 347-run win at the DY Patil Stadium last week, the biggest in terms of runs in women’s Test history, and they would like to reproduce that streak against the Aussies too. READ MORE

India: 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

Australia: Darcie Brown, Lauren Cheatle, Heather Graham, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Alyssa Healy (C & WK), Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney (wk), Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham.

The One-off India W vs Australia W Test match will be telecast on the Sports18 Network in India. Live streaming of the match will be available on Jio Cinema and FanCode app/website in India.