OTD: India ends nine-year wait for a home Test win with record 347-run victory over England

On this day in 2023, the Indian women’s cricket team scripted history by achieving their largest Test victory, defeating England by a staggering 347 runs in Mumbai. This win not only marked India’s first Test triumph at home in nine years but also set the record for the largest winning margin in women’s Test cricket. The match, played at the DY Patil Stadium, saw standout performances from Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar, which sealed the momentous win.

Winning the toss, India opted to bat first and posted a commanding total of 428. Deepti Sharma’s vital knock of 67, coupled with contributions from others, propelled the team to a strong position. Impressively, this was the first time India Women scored over 400 runs on the opening day of a Test match. England’s bowlers struggled to contain India’s aggressive approach, which set the tone for the match.

Deepti Sharma’s brilliance

Deepti Sharma emerged as the standout player of the match. In England’s first innings, she wreaked havoc with the ball, claiming her maiden five-wicket haul with figures of 5 for 7. England was bundled out for just 136, with Deepti’s guile proving too much for the visiting batters. Her ability to extract turn and bounce from the pitch was instrumental in restricting England to such a low score.

Pooja Vastrakar’s seam masterclass

In the second innings, India’s pace bowler Pooja Vastrakar made an early impact by dismissing key English batters, including Nat Sciver-Brunt for a golden duck. Vastrakar returned figures 3 for 23, with Deepti Sharma taking four scalps, as England’s top order never got a foothold in the game.

Chasing an improbable target of 479 after India declared their second innings at 186 for 6, England faltered yet again. Their batters showed little resistance, folding for a paltry 131. Tammy Beaumont, one of England’s star players, managed only 17 in the second innings, while skipper Heather Knight briefly fought back with a quick 21 before falling to a sharp delivery by Vastrakar. Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Deepti Sharma then mopped up the lower order to secure a historic victory.

The win was India’s first-ever Test victory over England at home in 15 attempts and their third overall. It was a landmark achievement for the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side, especially after a nine-year hiatus from hosting Test matches. The match also underscored the potential of India’s all-round talent and their ability to dominate in the longest format of the game.