Deepti Sharma's outstanding all-round display, combining a fifty and a five-fer, was instrumental as India Women march closer to a historic home victory in their one-off Test against England. On the second day of the one-off Test match, Deepti's shone bright as she first contributed with a patient 67 in India's impressive first-innings total of 428, then ran through the English batting lineup with a remarkable 5.3-4-7-5 spell.
England, in response, faltered dramatically, managing only 136 runs in their first innings, despite a resilient 59 from Nat Sciver-Brunt. India, with a substantial lead of 292 runs, chose not to enforce the follow-on and extended their dominance, reaching 186 for six at stumps, pushing their overall lead to a formidable 478 runs.
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The day at DY Patil Stadium was particularly challenging for the batters as the pitch began to show signs of turn and variable bounce, favoring the spinners. A total of 19 wickets fell throughout the day, with spinners claiming 15 of those, highlighting the challenging conditions.
Deepti, a 26-year-old off-spinner, was the standout performer, masterfully exploiting the conditions. She initiated her attack by dismissing Danny Wyatt (19) in a classic off-spinner's dismissal, triggering a significant collapse in the English ranks. Her subsequent dismissals of Amy Jones (12) and Sophie Ecclestone were pivotal, while Kate Cross and Lauren Filer also succumbed to her bowling prowess.
The Indian fielders supported Deepti's efforts with their proactive approach, maintaining pressure on the English batters with strategic placements and constant encouragement.
Before Deepti's entry into the attack, Indian pacers Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar had kept the English batting in check. Renuka's spell, particularly her incoming delivery that clean bowled Sophia Dunkley (11), was notable, while Vastrakar's ability to adjust her length proved effective against Heather Knight (11).
Sciver-Brunt's counter-attacking innings, marked by her fourth Test fifty, offered some resistance to India's bowling attack. Her 59 off 70 balls, featuring ten fours, briefly steadied England's innings before Sneh Rana delivered a sharp turner to dismiss her.
In India's second innings, despite some challenges posed by England's spinners Charlie Dean (4/68) and Sophie Ecclestone (2/76), the Indian batters made steady progress. Openers Mandhana (26) and Shafali (33) laid a solid foundation, while Jemimah Rodrigues contributed 27. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur remained unbeaten at 44, building a 53-run partnership with Pooja Vastrakar (17 not out).
India had to adjust their batting lineup due to debutant Shubha Satheesh's unavailability owing to a finger injury. Despite these adjustments, India's strong position at the end of the day reflected their dominance in the match, a testament to their skill and strategy in the home conditions.
This remarkable day followed the first day's play, where English spinners, particularly Ecclestone (3/67), had made an impact but couldn't prevent India from building a significant lead.
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