On this day in 2021: India and Australia women drew their first Test in 15 years
On this day in 2021, India Women and Australia Women played their first Test match against each other for a draw in 15 years. This was only the second time both the giants were facing each other in the multi-day game. This was a memorable clash for the Indian Women’s team and fans as being the first pink-ball and day-night Test match in their history.
Australian skipper Meg Lanning won the toss and invited India Women to bat first at Carrara Oval on day one. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma gave India a good start with a 93-run partnership for the first wicket. Mandhana smashed fifty on day one with a 102-run partnership with Punam Raut for the second wicket. Rain interrupted the majority of day one restricting to only 44.1 overs play.
Mandhana smashed her first career hundred on day two and went on to score crucial 127 runs in 216 balls. Bowling all-rounder Deepti Sharma also contributed with 66 runs off 167 balls as Indian captain Mithali Raj declared innings at 377/8 on day three. Four Australia Women, Ellyse Perry, Sophie Molineux, and Stella Campbell took two wickets each.
With the first two days being interrupted due to rain, Australia Women declared their first innings on 241/9 to hand India a crucial 136-run lead. Perry scored the highest unbeaten 68 runs for the hosts and Pooja Vastrakar took three wickets for India.
India openers shone again and put a quick 70-run partnership for the first wicket. Shafali scored 52 runs and Punam remained unbeaten on 41 runs off just 62 balls as Mithali declared an innings on 135/3 in 37 overs on day four, to put an impossible 272-run target for the hosts in the last session of day four.
Australia lost both of their openers Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney early as Lanning declared Australia’s innings on 37/2 after 15 overs. Smriti won the player of the match award for scoring 127 and 31 in both innings. This also proved the last Test match for Indian veterans Mithali and Jhulan Goswami. Notably, both the players were the only two survivors from India-Australia’s first Test match played in 2006.
