Top 5 highest individual scores for India in Women's Tests ft. Shafali Verma
India and South Africa Women squared off in the opening day of the only Test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, where multiple records were shattered as the hosts put up a stunning batting display.
Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Indian openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana wrecked havoc, stitching together a record 292-run stand to put South Africa at bay. Shafali slammed a double hundred, while Mandhana struck 149.
It was a forgettable outing for the visitors as the trouble did not end with the Indian openers alone. Jemimah Rodrigues (55), skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (42*), and Richa Ghosh (43*) played useful knocks to put the hosts in a commanding position. They piled up a gigantic total of 525/4 at the end of the day's play.
Harmanpreet and her girls will look to build on the momentum gained on Day 1 and further consolidate their grip on the only Test of the multiformat series.
On that note, we take a look at the top five highest individual scores for the country in Women's Test matches.
#5 Smriti Mandhana (149) - India Women vs South Africa Women, 2024
Left-handed opener Smriti Mandhana is one the top batters in the world as far as the women's game is concerned. While she is known for her prowess in limited overs cricket, the Indian batter also boasts a brilliant record in Test cricket.
She has amassed 629 runs in 12 innings with an average of 57.18, including two hundreds and three fifties.
In the opening day of the ongoing one-off Test against South Africa in Chennai, Smriti scored her highest Test score, striking 149 runs off 161 deliveries. Her innings, comprising of 27 boundaries and a six, is the fifth highest individual score by an Indian in Women's Tests.
#4 Sandhya Agarwal (190) - India Women vs England Women, 1986
Sandhya Agarwal is one among the Indian batters in the women's team to have scored over 1000 Test runs in her career. She accumulated 1110 runs from 13 games in her Test career.
In the third Test of the 1986 tour of England, Sandhya stood tall for the visitors while the rest of the batters failed to stay around for long. She played a stunning 190-run knock at Worcester in the first innings, which eventually also helped the visitors draw the Test.
It was also the then highest score in Women's Tests before Denise Annetts surpassed her with a 193-run knock in 1987.
#3 Thirush Kamini (192) - India Women vs South Africa Women, 2014
In the only Test in November 2014 against South Africa Women in Mysore, left-handed opening batter Thirush Kamini struck a magnificent century in the first innings.
She scored 192 runs from 430 deliveries, including 24 fours and a solitary six. The hosts declared their first innings at 400/6. Although it might seem to be a slow century, it proved to be a vital one.
The Indians bowled South Africa Women out for 234 in their first innings, enforced the follow-on and skittled them over for 132 to their second innings to register a dominating innings victory by an innings and 34 runs.
#2 Shafali Verma (205) India Women vs South Africa Women, 2024
Having built her reputation as a destructive and fearless top-order batter, Shafali never shies away from taking the attack to the opposition.
Such was the case on Day 1 of the only Test (ongoing) against South Africa in Chennai. Smashing several records, Shafali powered her way to a scintillating double century.
Coverting her hundred into a double ton, she reached the mark in just 194 deliveries, smashing the fastest double-century in Women's cricket. With her 205-run knock, which came off just 288 balls, she also now holds the record for the second-highest individual score in Test cricket for India (Women's).
#1 Mithali Raj (214) India Women vs England Women, 2002
Legendary and iconic female cricketer Mithali Raj holds the record for the highest individual score in Test cricket for the Indian Women's team.
During the Indian Women's tour of England in 2002, Mithali Raj struck a magnificent and gritty double hundred in the second innings of the second Test at Taunton. After bowling England out for 329 in the first innings, the visitors were in a slight spot of bother at 100/3.
However, Mithali's 214 off 407 deliveries, including 19 fours, propelled the Indian team to 467 and helped them draw the game eventually.