Displaying sheer dominance, India’s openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma decimated South Africa’s bowling on the first day of their one-off Test in Chennai.
Mandhana’s authoritative 149 and Verma’s dazzling double century, featuring eight sixes, catapulted India to a formidable 525/4 at Chepauk – a record for the most runs scored on the opening day of a Test match.
The Indian duo started cautiously, but Verma’s boundary through the covers marked the beginning of an aggressive partnership. They amassed 292 runs together, each securing massive centuries. Verma’s bold stroke play, especially her spree of sixes, overwhelmed the South African bowlers.
South Africa’s bowlers got a brief respite during lunch, but Mandhana and Verma resumed their fierce batting afterward, continuing to frustrate their opponents. They both reached their centuries with successive deliveries in a relentless display of batting.
Mandhana, who had already scored two centuries and a 90 in the ODIs, was on track for a double century but was stopped at 149 when she was caught at slip.
South Africa’s brief moment of relief ended as Verma resumed her attack, hitting consecutive sixes and then a single to complete an impressive double century. Her continuous aggression, along with Jemimah Rodrigues’ swift innings, intensified South Africa’s struggle on a day ruled by India’s batting. South Africa finally halted Verma’s charge with a run out, and Rodrigues was dismissed shortly after passing fifty.
As the day ended, India didn’t let up, surpassing 500 runs with Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh exploiting the weary bowlers.
India’s 525 runs at stumps set a new record for the highest score on the opening day of a Women’s Test match, surpassing the previous record by a significant margin.