The visitors recovered impressively from 37 for 2, with Mandhana dominating the innings along with Jemimah Rodrigues and then teaming up with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur for an 89-run fourth wicket. Mandhana looked to have a solid century but was reduced to 83, while Harmanpreet’s 58 allowed India to stay ahead in the middle overs.
Yet England reacted strongly after tea. Debutant spinners Mady Villiers, Sophie Ecclestone and Issy Wong batted regularly, sparking a collapse that saw India lose 7 wickets for 85 runs. Deepti Sharma’s valuable 57 runs and her partnership with Sneh Rana ensured that India crossed the 280-run mark despite a late setback.
The day also marked a major personal milestone for Ecclestone, who overtook Catherine Seaver-Brent to become England’s leading wicket-taker in women’s international cricket.
England’s response started cautiously, with Kranti Goud removing Tammy Beaumont for just two runs. Maya Bouchier, along with Heather Knight, remained unbeaten with 17 points as the home team finished with a 21-1 record but still trailed by 264 runs.
The Test remains well-balanced heading into the second day at the Home of Cricket as India missed the chance to convert their dominance into a bigger first-innings total while England looked to build on the late momentum.
