India’s Pooja Vastrakar continued her dominance over Australia by making crucial breakthroughs, limiting Australia Women to 180/8 in 60 overs by Tea on the opening day of the sole Test in the multi-format series at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
Consistently landing the ball around the good length spot, Vastrakar, who showcased her best figures of 3/23 in the recent Test against England, adeptly maneuvered the ball, exploiting the early movement in the pitch to trouble the Australian batters.
Vastrakar, having dismissed Beth Mooney (40) and Ellyse Perry (4) in the first session, further solidified her impact by claiming the wickets of Annabel Sutherland (16, 58 balls, 2×4) and Ashleigh Gardner (11, 26 balls, 1×4), concluding the session with impressive figures of 4/51 in 14 overs.
Sneh Rana contributed with her second wicket, producing a thin edge off Alana King, validated by Ultra Edge upon India’s successful DRS (Decision Review System) appeal.
Off-spinner Deepti Sharma crucially removed Alyssa Healy, disrupting the Australian captain’s resilient innings of 38 runs from 75 deliveries with a delivery that kept low, resulting in her dismissal.
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During the break, Jess Jonassen (batting at 6) and Kim Garth (batting at 8) remained at the crease, aiming to accumulate more runs to provide Australia with a competitive total for their bowlers to defend.
Starting from 103/4 at Lunch, Australian skipper Healy and Annabel Sutherland managed to add 40 runs for the fifth wicket. However, their progress was slow-paced due to the persistent pressure applied by the Indian spinners.
The Indian spin duo, operating from both ends, exploited spin and occasional low bounce, making it challenging for the Australian batters to score freely.
Healy, while appearing threatening with her forward and straight play, succumbed to a delivery that stayed low while attempting a sweep shot, leading to her dismissal by Deepti Sharma.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s astute decision to reintroduce Vastrakar paid off as the pacer swiftly accounted for Sutherland’s wicket, followed by Gardner’s departure in successive overs.
India could have dismissed the Australians entirely in this session if not for a couple of missed opportunities in the field. Despite a generally sound fielding display, chances were put down by Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, and keeper Yastika Bhatia.
Tea Score Summary: Australia Women 180/8 in 60 overs (Beth Mooney 40; Tahlia McGrath 50, Alyssa Perry 38; Pooja Vastrakar 4-44) against India Women.
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