Captain Harmanpreet Kaur's effective bowling (2/23) provided a much-needed breakthrough for India Women with two crucial wickets, as they faced a tough day in the one-off Test on Saturday, December 23, leaving Australia ahead by 46 runs at the close of Day 3.
Kaur stepped in to bowl during the third session, after India's varied bowling strategies struggled to penetrate, and Australia surpassed India's first-innings lead of 187 runs with relative ease.
She dismissed Tahlia McGrath (73 from 177 balls, 10 fours), who notched her second fifty in the Test, and caught Alyssa Healy (32) off-guard with a burst of aggression. Prior to taking McGrath's wicket, Kaur's quick reflexes led to a throw at Healy, who dodged it, causing the ball to deflect off the Australian captain's bat to the boundary.
Kaur contested Healy's action as obstruction of the field, but umpires Anil Chaudhary and N Janani dismissed the appeal. Subsequently, Kaur claimed Healy's wicket with a leg-before decision on a sweep attempt. At the end of the day, Annabel Sutherland (12) and Ashleigh Gardner (7) were batting, taking Australia to 233/5 in their second innings.
On Day 3, Australia dominated with their seam bowlers executing a relentless short-ball strategy against the Indian lower order. This aggressive approach resulted in India's tail collapsing within just over half an hour of play, adding only 30 runs while losing the last three wickets.
Annabel Sutherland (2/41) led the charge for Australia, taking down overnight batter Pooja Vastrakar (47) and Renuka Singh (8). Kim Garth managed to dismiss Deepti Sharma (78), but not before India had set a couple of new records.
India's first innings total of 406 is now their highest in Test cricket against Australia. The 122-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Deepti and Vastrakar is not only India's highest in this format but also the second-highest globally. Deepti emerged as India's leading run-scorer, hitting 78 off 171 balls, including nine fours. Vastrakar narrowly missed her first half-century by just three runs.
Despite trailing by 187 runs, Australian openers Beth Mooney and Phoebe Litchfield started strongly but failed to capitalize on their initial progress.
Richa Ghosh played a pivotal role in running out Mooney for 33 (37 balls, 7 fours) after the batter recklessly left her crease following a defensive shot off Sneh Rana (2/54). Ghosh, stationed at silly point, quickly threw the ball back to the stumps while Mooney appeared unaware of the need to return to her crease.
Rana successfully bowled out Litchfield (18) when she missed a reverse sweep attempt entirely.
Ellyse Perry seemed poised for a significant score, batting with authority in the second session. Her 91-ball 45, including five fours, contributed to an 84-run stand for the third wicket with Tahlia McGrath. However, India's wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia was alert to a delivery from Rana that drifted down the leg side, catching a subtle edge from Perry's bat.
McGrath, on her way to a commendable fifty, had a stroke of luck when Rana, positioned at wide first slip, missed an outside edge from Rajeshwari Gayakwad's delivery. McGrath experienced another fortunate moment at 52, overturning a leg-before decision on Kaur's initial delivery. However, soon after, Kaur managed to break through when McGrath's inside edge hit the wickets, much to the batter's disappointment as she had fully prodded forward.
Despite expectations, the pitch didn't break down to aid spinners, requiring Indian bowlers and fielders to collaborate effectively, though luck was not always on their side.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad, after bowling 27 overs without a wicket, missed a chance to call for a DRS review when Sutherland was trapped in front of the wickets. Additionally, Gayakwad had Healy dropped twice by Jemimah Rodrigues at silly point on back-to-back deliveries, even though Rodrigues was positioned a bit deeper.
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