Heather Knight hits 95 but late wickets for India wrest control back from England

Pooja Vastrakar took the only wicket of the session for India, who are playing with five debutants

Lunch England Women 86 for 1 (Beaumont 44*, Knight 4*, Vastrakar 1-30) vs India Women

India’s return to Test cricket after almost seven years laid bare copious nerves that in part contributed to England’s openers putting on 69 – their highest opening stand in Tests since 2004 – in their first-session tally of 86 for 1. This, after the hosts opted to bat after handing a debut to batter Sophia Dunkley.

India could’ve had an early wicket, but missed out due to a drop at first slip. Winfield-Hill, eventually out for 35 in the 21st over, received a lifeline on 3 when Smriti Mandhana grassed a chance off Jhulan Goswami. Goswami probed away with a conscientious opening spell, clocking 112 kph routinely, while Winfield-Hill exuded confidence reminiscent of her Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy form up until her dismissal.

Winfield-Hill’s two sixes were the first by an England batter in Tests since August 2006. The first one was off seamer Shikha Pandey, one of three seamers in a five-bowler Indian attack. A short ball was lifted by Winfield-Hill from outside off, and with extended arms cleared deep midwicket.

Then came another pick-up six, seemingly more effortless, decidedly more disdainful, in the 19th over off Pooja Vastrakar, one of five Indian debutants on the day, sailing over deep backward square while her partner Beaumont followed its trajectory. With both batters in their twenties by then, and England past 60 in 19 overs, the rotation of bowlers seemed to do little to wrest the momentum. Beaumont, for her part, occasionally resorted to the sweep and lap scoop – to varied success – against offspinner Rana.

England’s hold on the session seemed well in place until Vastarakar gave India the breakthrough. Angling one back in, Vastrakar induced an outside edge off Winfield-Hill’s drive to the keeper, removing her for 35.

The pitch – used previously for a T20 Blast fixture last Friday much to the chagrin of captain Knight and England coach Lisa Keightley – offered decent movement and carry for the quicks earlier in the day. However, signs of the pitch getting slower surfaced intermittently as the session progressed.

India playing a Test without a left-arm spinner in their XI for the first time, and not picking a legspinner in the XI either meant Deepti Sharma’s fingerspin was summoned right before the session break. The result was India coming close to a second wicket at the stroke of lunch as Sharma drew Beaumont, on 44, into a lunge for a drive and beat her and the stumps with pronounced grip and turn. Knight, playing her 100th Test as England captain, played a watchful hand at No. 3 to deny India any further chances of making inroads and stayed unbeaten on 4.