Satheesh Shubha, Jemimah Rodrigues, Yastika Bhatia and Deepti Sharma all made half-centuries on batting-friendly surface as India finished 410-7; England now face crucial day two to try and hit back in Mumbai heat and humidity
Thursday 14 December 2023 17:07, UK
England ran out India captain Harmanpreet Kaur in bizarre circumstances on the opening day of their one-off women's Test - but they could not stop the hosts from piling up 410-7 in Mumbai.
It was India's first Test match on home soil since 2014 but they settled into their task after choosing to bat, with Satheesh Shubha (69), Jemimah Rodrigues (68), Yastika Bhatia (66) and Deepti Sharma (60no) all making half-centuries.
Kaur thought she had also reached the landmark for the first time but was surprised to find herself given out for 49 after raising her bat to acknowledge the applause of her team-mates.
She had prodded a delivery to cover and scampered through for what she believed to be her 50th run after Danni Wyatt's return throw hit the stumps and ricocheted away from wicketkeeper Amy Jones.
The TV umpire subsequently reviewed the replays and found Kaur, who had been under no pressure whatsoever to make her ground, had accidentally lodged her bat just in front of the crease line and was short by an inch as the bails were lifted.
It may not have been lost on England that the bowler at the time was Charlie Dean, victim of a controversial 'Mankad' run out at the non-striker's end under Kaur's captaincy at Lord's in 2022.
England may already find victory a tough ask with India's highest-ever home total and healthy run rate of 4.36 carving out a strong position.
This summer's women's Ashes series included a five-day Test, allowing enough time for the game to reach its natural conclusion, but the reversion to the conventional, unloved four days means a draw may be the best realistic result for Heather Knight's tourists.
England had started the day well, Lauren Bell bowling Smriti Mandhana via an inside edge and Kate Cross cleaning up Shafali Verma inside the first nine overs. Bell returned to dismiss Rodrigues' impressive knock by attacking the
stumps again and finished with figures of 2-64.
Sophie Ecclestone, the world's No 1 white-ball spinner, struggled to assert herself as she mustered 1-85 in 22 overs and there was one wicket apiece for Dean and Nat Sciver-Brunt, who landed a late blow to remove Sneh Rana in the closing minutes.
