IND-W vs SA-W: Shafali's double-ton powers India
Smriti Mandhana scores 149 as India post a mammoth 525 on day-one.
Jemimah congratulates Verma on the latter's 200. (Photo credit: BCCI Women/x)
Indian women amassed 525 for the loss of four wickets on Day-1 of the one-off Test against South Africa at Chennai on Friday.
While Shafali Verma scored a sizzling double-ton, Smriti Mandhana registered a ton of her own as the hosts piled on the runs on the opening day.
Opting to bat first on what looked like a batting friendly wicket at Chepauk, India started positively with both batters playing at their free flowing best.
The two looked rock solid and went into lunch unbeaten with 130 on the board in 28 overs.
Post-lunch blitz
Both batters switched gears post-lunch and piled on the runs at an extremely quick rate - almost 7 runs per over.
Smriti brought up her second Test ton with a backfoot punch to deep covers.
She has been brilliant in the recent ODI series. This is her third ton in four innings, having previously scored two centuries and a 90 in the three-match ODI against the Proteas.
Shafali, on her part, hit her maiden test century, bringing it up in trademark fashion - a flick off her pads to the deep square leg fence.
Some respite for South Africa did arrive in the form of Smriti's wicket, who was dismissed just one short of 150 when nicking one to the slips against off spinner Delmi Tucker.
The star batter made 149 from just 161 balls, with 27 boundaries and a six.
The pair put on 292 for the first wicket, making it the highest opening partnership in all of women's Test cricket.
But Shafali, on the other hand, did not stop and continued her aggressive approach. She would bring up her double hundred in just 194 balls.
In doing so, she is now the fastest double centurion in women's Test cricket and the first Indian woman to score a double-ton after Mithali Raj's 214 in 2002.
Shafali ultimately succumbed to a run out. Her mammoth 205 had come in just 197 balls and contained 23 boundaries and an astonishing eight maximums.
Jemimah, Kaur and Richa pile on the misery
The other Indian batters too looked very comfortable against the South Africans and duly joined the party.
Jemimah Rodrigues compiled a neat half century scoring 55 (94b, 8x4).
The day ended with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and wicket-keeper Richa Ghosh staying unbeaten on 42 (76b, 2x4) and 43 (33b, 9x4) respectively.
India finished the day with 525/4 in 98 overs.
With both batters looking set and enough batting still to come, South Africa has a mountain to climb already if they are to make inroads in this Test.