| India 410-7 (94 overs): Satheesh 69, Rodrigues 68; Bell 2-64 |
| England: yet to bat |
| India lead by 410 runs |
| Scorecard. |
England’s bowlers toiled in the Mumbai heat as India capitalised on a batting-friendly surface on day one of the one-off Test match.
India finished the day 410-7, with four half-centuries, including debutants Jemimah Rodrigues and Satheesh Shubha.
England took two quick wickets on three separate occasions but India’s batters impressively withstood the pressure each time.
Seamer Lauren Bell was the pick of England’s bowlers with 2-64.
England took early control as Bell and Kate Cross removed dangerous India openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, before Test debutant Rodrigues and international debutant Satheesh batted with sublime composure for a third-wicket stand of 115.
Satheesh fell for 69 and Rodrigues 68 in the space of five overs, only for England to be thwarted again by a 116-run partnership between the counter-attacking Bhatia and captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
Similarly, both departed within four overs of one another as Bhatia made 66 and Kaur was calamitously run out for 49, but Deepti Sharma’s unbeaten 60 nullified the threat of a late fightback from England’s tiring bowlers.
England bowled with reasonable discipline despite India’s resistance, with the hosts enjoying first use of a flat pitch which will give Heather Knight’s side confidence for their first batting attempt.
England won the T20 series that preceded the Test match 2-1, but the matches are not part of a multi-format points-based series as with the summer’s Ashes.
More to follow.
