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Australia beat India in pink-ball Test as Alyssa Healy signs off
The hosts completed a 10-wicket win in the one-off Test at Perth as only Pratika Rawal showed resistance scoring 63
Chandigarh: Pratika Rawal’s half-century was small comfort for India as Australia completed a 10-wicket win into the third day of the one-off pink-ball Test at Perth’s WACA ground on Sunday, giving retiring skipper Alyssa Healy a perfect farewell.
The hosts completed an emphatic 12–4 points win in the multi-format series where India began brightly by claiming the T20I series 2-1 before the hosts handed the ODI World Cup holders a 3-0 thrashing in the format.
Resuming on their overnight 105/6 in the second innings, India were still 20 runs behind. They managed to avoid an innings defeat but could only set a token lead before the last four wickets fell.
Pratika, back in the Indian fold after recovering from the leg injury suffered during the ODI World Cup campaign, scored 63 – India’s highest score in the Test – before being the last wicket to fall as the innings folded for 149.
Young openers Georgia Voll and Phoebe Litchfield knocked off the target in just 4.3 overs. It was Indian women’s first Test loss for two decades, their last defeat having come against Australia at Adelaide in 2006. India had played nine Tests in between, winning six and drawing three. They included a win and a draw against Australia.
The jubilant Aussie players carried Alyssa on their shoulders in a fitting acknowledgment of one of the game’s all-time greats.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur admitted the team could not sustain the momentum on the tour.
“We started really well playing good cricket in the T20s, but unfortunately were not able to continue that momentum. “Test cricket is something we want to play more, and the pink ball was certainly a challenge.”
Alyssa ended her career with gratitude and optimism.
“Thank you very much for all the love and support. We’re in this bubble trying to win games, so sometimes you don’t realise what is happening outside. Thank you to everyone who came here and everyone watching at home.
“Thanks to the Indian team for coming across after a busy WPL and giving us such a great contest in the T20Is. Good luck for the T20 World Cup, an India–Australia final would be a nice touch.”
Brief Scores
India 198 & 149 (Pratika Rawal 63, Sneh Rana 30; Lucy Hamilton 3/32, Ashleigh Gardner 2/8, Annabel Sutherland 2/15). Australia 323 & 28/0. Australia won by 10 wickets.
