The Indian women’s team were off to a flying start during the day-night Test against Australia in Queensland before rain halted the play.
After being put into bat, openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma provided the visitors with a steady start as the two batters put up a partnership of 93 runs for the first wicket. Verma eventually departed for 31 after getting caught by McGrath off Sophie Molineux.
Mandhana on the other side continued with her form and notched up a half-century. India were 101/1 after 33 overs when the first session concluded.
The Indian batters were helped by some wayward bowling by the Australian pace department and the fact that they did not find much movement with the pink ball. Just when the Aussies were able to tighten the screws after the floodlights came on, rain halted the play affecting the progression of play.
The Australian side bowled only 6.3 overs in the second session before the covers were called and the match was interrupted while the visiting team added 13 runs to the total with Mandhana at 70* and Punam Raut at 8* at the crease.
The two teams are facing each other in a Test match after a span of 15 years. While India played a Test against England earlier this year in Bristol, the Aussies last featured in a longer format back in 2019 Ashes.
Playing XI
India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Punam Raut, Mithali Raj (c), Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Jhulan Goswami, Meghna Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad
Australia: Alyssa Healy (wk), Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Darcie Brown, Stella Campbell