Shafali Verma, the young Indian opener, stole the show on the opening day of the one-off women's Test against South Africa, smashing a record-breaking double century. Her heroics propelled India to a mammoth 525 for 4, the highest-ever single-day total in women's Test cricket.
Verma's knock of 205 runs came off just 194 balls, surpassing the previous record held by Australia's Annabel Sutherland (248 balls). This feat also makes her only the second Indian woman after Mithali Raj to achieve a double century in Tests. Raj scored her 214 runs in 2002.
Verma's knock wasn't the only highlight. Her opening partnership with Smriti Mandhana (149) laid the foundation for India's dominance. Together, they stitched up a colossal 292-run stand, the highest partnership for any wicket in women's Test history (second-highest overall). This partnership eclipsed the 89-year record for most runs scored in a single day of a women's Test by a staggering 94 runs.
While Verma anchored the innings with her power-hitting (23 boundaries, 8 sixes), Mandhana provided valuable support. Both batters capitalized on the inexperienced South African bowling attack and the flat pitch at Chepauk. Centuries from both openers put India firmly in control.
Mandhana's dismissal didn't slow down the run flow. Though Shafali Verma departed shortly after reaching her double century (run out), partnerships with Jemimah Rodrigues (55) and Richa Ghosh (43*) ensured the scoreboard kept ticking. India eventually became the first team to cross the 500-run mark in a single day of a women's Test match.
With a dominant batting display, India has put themselves in a commanding position. The inexperienced South African bowling attack now faces a daunting task of restricting the hosts and potentially chasing down a mammoth total.
