INW vs ENW: Deepti Sharma 5-wicket haul puts India in commanding position against England in Only Test

Deepti Sharma picked up five wickets on Day 2 as India are closing in on a historic win against England at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai.

The off-spinner finished with figures of 5.3-4-7-5 as the Women in Blue amassed a lead of 478 runs at Stumps on the second day.

At the close of play on the first day, India were in a dominating position with their score at 410 for the loss of seven wickets. However, their lower order could not put up much of a resistance as the hosts were bowled out for 428 in 104.3 overs.

Deepti, who was unbeaten earlier, got out to Lauren Bell, who picked up three wickets. Left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone also accounted for three scalps.

Captain @ImHarmanpreet remains unbeaten on 44 🙌#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/H47JvJKtPu — BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) December 15, 2023

Thereafter, it was the turn of the Indian bowlers, led by Deepti, to dominate. Barring Nat Sciver-Brunt, who scored 59 runs off 70 balls with 10 fours, none of the English batters survived the heat.

Tammy Beaumont, Sophia Dunkley, Heather Knight, Danni Wyatt and Amy Jones got into double digits, but could not make their starts count.

Even as Deepti was the star of the show for India, Sneh Rana chipped in with two wickets. Fast bowlers Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar got one scalp apiece.

India, in the meantime, bowled Knight’s women out for 136 and garnered a huge lead of 292 runs.

The hosts came out firing on all cylinders in their second innings and understandably so. Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana laid the platform with a partnership of 61 runs off 12.5 overs.

Jemimah Rodrigues scored 27 runs off 29 to play a handy cameo in the middle-order. Deepti raced her way to scoring 20 off 18 before Charlie Dean accounted for her wicket. Dean has been the pick of the bowlers for England in the second innings with figures of 19-3-68-4.

Harmanpreet Kaur is batting on 44 off 67 and along with her is hard-hitter Pooja Vastrakar. With four wickets in hand, India’s first goal would be to take their lead past 500 before deciding on the time to put England in against.