NEW DELHI: The Indian cricket fraternity took to social media to laud Women in Blue for recording their first-ever Test match win over Australia on Sunday at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Jemimah Rodrigues, Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar were the stars of the show that was the one-off Test against Australia at Wankhede Stadium, securing for India an eight-wicket win.
Following the win, legendary Indian pacer Jhulan Goswami lauded Team India, calling it “womanhood in action.” She also lauded Australia skipper Alyssa Healy’s class act of clicking a victorious Indian team’s photo.
“Congrats to the Indian Women’s Cricket Team on the historic win. @SnehRana15’s 4-wicket brilliance paved victory against Australia nearly 45 years later. Kudos to the team, & a special nod to Captain @ahealy77’s kind act. That’s womanhood in action! #INDvsAUS #TeamIndia,” tweeted Jhulan.
Congrats to the Indian Women's Cricket Team on the historic win. @SnehRana15's 4-wicket brilliance paved victory against Australia nearly 45 years later. Kudos to the team, & a special nod to Captain @ahealy77's kind act. That's womanhood in action! ????
#INDvsAUS #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/jydfayGyJ6
— Jhulan Goswami (@JhulanG10) December 24, 2023
Legendary Indian batter and former skipper Mithali Raj also lauded India for their win. She appreciated the performances of Pooja Vastrakar and Sneh Rana with the ball and how the batting unit performed together to record this landmark win.
“HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO TEAM INDIA on beating Australia for the first time in Women’s Tests! @Vastrakarp25& @SnehRana15 were immaculate with the ball, and the batting unit rallied around to record this historic triumph. Two Test victories on the trot, well played! @BCCIWomen #INDvAUS,” tweeted Raj.
HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO TEAM INDIA on beating Australia for the first time in Women's Tests! @Vastrakarp25 & @SnehRana15 were immaculate with the ball, and the batting unit rallied around to record this historic triumph. Two Test victories on the trot, well played! ????????????… pic.twitter.com/n0812yvXZJ
— Mithali Raj (@M_Raj03) December 24, 2023
Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag also called the victory “a win to cherish”.
“Congratulations girls. This is a landmark win. @ImHarmanpreet Kaur and her girls have made us super proud beating Australia for the first time in Test Cricket. A win to cherish,” tweeted Sehwag.
Congratulations girls. This is a landmark win . @ImHarmanpreet Kaur and her girls have made us super proud beating Australia for the first time in Test Cricket. A win to cherish. pic.twitter.com/0HpkPLxuCd
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) December 24, 2023
Also, former Indian skipper Anjum Chopra lauded Team India for their victory.
“Congratulations ladies! It’s an impressive win #INDvAUS. A win after 11 Test matches between the two nations. Well done to every member of the group @BCCIWomen.” tweeted Anjum.
Coming to the match, Australia won the toss and opted to bat first. They were bundled out for 219 in their first innings. All-rounder Tahlia McGrath hit a fighting fifty (50 in 56 balls, with six fours) while Beth Mooney (40 in 94 balls, with two fours) and Healy (38 in 75 balls, with four boundaries and a six) also contributed useful scores.
Pooja Vastrakar (4/53) and Sneh Rana (3/56) and Deepti Sharma (2/45) were the pick of the bowlers for India with the ball.
India took a 187-run lead in the first innings, posting a massive 406/10, batting out 126.3 overs. Openers Shafali Varma (40 in 59 balls, with eight fours) and Smriti Mandhana (74 in 106 balls, with 12 fours) gave India a fine start.
In the middle order/lower order, half-centuries came from Richa Ghosh (52 in 104 balls, with seven fours), Jemimah Rodrigues (73 in 121 balls, with nine fours) and Deepti Sharma (78 in 171 balls, with nine fours) and Vastrakar also contributed a vital 47 in 126 balls, with seven fours.
Ashleigh Gardner (4/100) was the pick of the bowlers for the Aussies while Kim Garth and Jess Jonassen took two wickets each.
Aussies could only gain a slender 74 run lead in the second innings as India bundled them out for just 261 runs. McGrath (73 in 177 balls, with 10 fours), Ellyse Perry (45 in 91 balls, with five fours), Mooney (33 in 37 balls, with seven fours) and Healy (32 in 101 balls, with one four) played crucial knocks for Australia.
Sneh (4/63) was the pick of the bowlers for India. Rajeshwari Gayakwad and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur were also among the wickets, taking two wickets. Vastrakar got one wicket.
India got 75 runs to chase. Despite the loss of two wickets, Smriti (38* in 61 balls, with six fours) controlled the chase well to win Women in Blue their second big Test of the year, following a big 347-run win over England previously.
Sneh walked away with the ‘Player of the Match’ award. (ANI)