The one-off Test looked evenly poised until the third day, with Australia hoping to put up a 200-plus target for India. But India walked into the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday morning with a plan and determination.
Over the next three hours and 15 minutes, the home side executed its plans to perfection to pull off an eight-wicket win -- its first-ever Test victory against Australia.
IND vs AUS TEST: HIGHLIGHTS, DAY 4
Winning two consecutive Test matches in a span of a week is never easy, but India built on its success against England and maintained complete dominance over Australia to make a strong statement. Not for once did the lack of experience in playing Test cricket reflect in India’s performance, and the way it managed to wrap up the Australian innings on the final day, picking the last five wickets for just 28 runs, spoke volumes about the team’s resilience.
Resuming at 233 for 5, Australia needed a solid partnership to get going. However, Sneh Rana (4 for 63) and Rajeshwari Gayakwad (2 for 42) had other plans. After troubling the touring side in the first innings, Pooja Vastrakar provided the early breakthrough by trapping Ashleigh Gardner leg before off a fine yorker in the second over of the day.
India tightened the noose as Rana bowled with aggression after claiming three wickets in the first essay. Having lost a wicket early on, the onus was on Annabel Sutherland, but she fell to Rana attempting to play a sweep and offering a catch to Yastika Bhatia behind the stumps.
Harmanpreet Kaur of India giving the trophy to Rajashree Gayakwad of India after the Test match between India (Women) and Australia (Women) at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI/ The Hindu
The umpire, however, didn’t rule in India’s favour, forcing the Indian camp to refer to the TV umpire just in the nick of time. The decision went India’s way and eventually sparked Australia’s downfall.
Rana added another wicket to her tally off the very next ball before Gayakwad wrapped up the innings with two quick scalps.
India needed 75 runs with more than two sessions remaining. Shafali Verma started off with a boundary before nicking off Kim Garth in the first over. Smriti Mandhana remained unbeaten on 38 (61b, 6x4) and forged a crucial 51-run partnership for the second wicket with Richa Ghosh.
The debutant Richa, who scored a fifty in the first innings, earned a reprieve early on as Beth Mooney dropped her at first slip off Gardner. However, she calmed her nerves and built on with Mandhana to guide the team closer home.
By the time she was caught by Tahlia McGrath at mid-on, India was 20 runs away from a historic victory. Jemimah Rodrigues hit a couple of fours to hasten India’s gallop towards the win before Mandhana sealed it with a boundary.
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