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Smriti Mandhana lights up rainy Day 1 in Australia pink-ball Test
The left-handed opener had hit a sublime, career-best 80 when poor weather ended play with the visitors on 132/1.
A trip into the unknown for India women turned into a dream initiation on the first day of their pink-ball Test against Australia at the Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast on Thursday. The visitors got to train with the pink kookaburra only two days before the game, but had little to complain before rain forced it into a heavily truncated day.
It was Indian women’s first Test for 15 years against Australia and Smriti Mandhana made it a memorable resumption, unbeaten on a career-best 80 (144b, 15x4, 1x6) with India ending Day 1 on 132/1.
It wasn’t a bad call by Australia captain Meg Lanning to bowl first in the Day/Night game. The pitch was green and the hosts had picked four young fast bowlers—Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Darcie Brown and Stella Campbell made their debut.
India openers Shafali Verma and Mandhana raised 93 runs, dominating the pacers. Young Verma again cut down on aggression and let her partner lead the scoring until she was out for 31. Punam Raut (16*) was with Mandhana at the final rain interruption with India on 132/1.
Only 44.1 overs could be bowled after heavy rain started at the dinner break.
Like in the final ODI, Verma fell trying to attack left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux, but Mandhana was in supreme form, exhibiting tremendous skill playing through the off-side by finding the gaps. The Australia pace attack led by Ellyse Perry largely bowled a fuller length to Mandhana and the left-handed batter creamed them. India reached 50 in just 11.1 overs.
“We just had two sessions with the pink ball. I was coming from the Hundred, so I didn't really get much time to play with the pink ball, but during the Hundred, I ordered a pink kookaburra ball just to keep it in my room. I knew there is going to be a Test, so I can just look at the ball and understand,” the 25-year-old said during a virtual media conference after play.
“I have actually not batted; I batted for just two sessions but the pink ball was there in my kit bag for last two-and-a-half, three months. I don’t know why I carried it. I thought I will have a session but I didn’t get time to do that.”
Mandhana’s extra-ordinary shots off the front and back foot made the day special for her. The 25-year-old batter who made 78 in the drawn Test in England in June cut and pulled with ease, racing to her third half-century in only her fourth Test off 51 balls.
Verma was dropped on 3, 19 and 25 with skipper Lanning grassing two of them. First was an edge off Perry to Lanning at first slip. Lanning then dropped her off Molineux in the slip before debutant Annabel Sutherland put down the easiest of the chances at mid-on. Eventually, Verma played against the spin off Molineux to be caught by Tahila McGrath at mid-offr. The 17-year-old, who hit 96 against England on debut, had four fours.
Raut, who didn’t play in the ODIs, was very defensive and put the brakes on Mandhana’s scoring. At one stage Raut scored one run off 22 deliveries.
A heavy downpour with India on 114/1 caused an almost two-hour break. There was a brief resumption when Mandhana hit two pulls off McGrath to reach 80. Lanning used seven bowlers. Darcie Brown conceded 28 runs off her four overs. Spinners Ashleigh Gardner and Molineux though were economical.
Light showers are predicted on the second day as well in this four-day game. India left out all-rounder Sneh Rana and handed Test debuts to left-handed batter Yastika Bhatia and pacer Meghna Singh, who both impressed in the ODI series.
