Smriti first Indian woman to score a ton Down Under

Star Indian batter Smriti Mandhana, who scored her first Test century in her four-match career today, has also become the first Indian woman centurion in Australia.

Smriti scored 127 against Australia in the one-off Day/Night Test in Gold Coast today as India reached 276/5 at stumps on Day 2 of the rain-hit match.

Star scorer

Smriti Mandhana played some eye-catching strokes to reach 127, which included 22 fours
It is also the highest Test score by a visiting woman batter Down Under
Though the Indian women have been playing Test cricket in Australia since 1977, they have figured in only five Tests there before the ongoing one. Rajani Venugopal, who made 58 in the second innings of the Melbourne Test in 1991, held the previous Indian record for the highest score Down Under, and Smriti got past that number on Day 1 on Thursday. Resuming on 80 today, Smriti played some eye-catching strokes both sides of the wicket to reach her 100, eventually falling to a tame catch at mid-off for 127, which included 22 fours. This is also the highest Test score by a visiting woman batter in Australia, improving upon England’s Mary Hide’s 124 not out, made in 1949. In all, eight visiting batters have made centuries in women’s Tests in Australia, and Smriti is the first non-Englishwoman to achieve this feat.

After being told that she had broken Mary Hide’s 72-year record, Smriti said: “I didn’t know about this. But I think it’s pretty good to do something of that sort. I’m more happy that I could give that kind of foundation for the team. Individual stuff will happen, but I’m happy with the kind of position the team is in.”

Reacting to Smriti’s 100, Sachin Tendulkar tweeted: “Fantastic knock! Many congratulations on scoring your first Test hundred. Keep scoring and inspiring.”