India vs Australia: How Harmanpreet Kaur’s ‘golden arm’ set up a riveting finale in India vs Australia One-Off Test

There is nothing quite like Test cricket when it comes to producing slow-cooked entertainment. The potential for comebacks within a match, the ebbs and flows, the twists and turns. It was on full display on Day 3 between India and Australia at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.

The day started with India in a position of strength, thanks to an unbroken overnight century stand for the 8th wicket between Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar. But Australia did well to wrap up the Indian innings with the addition of just 30 runs for a lead of 187. It still felt sizeable but Australia are the champion side for a reason, as their batters stepped up. Tahlia McGrath led the way, Ellyse Perry and Alyssa Healy played their parts as the lead was erased.

And when it seemed they could potentially step on the gas, India fought back in the final session, thanks to two big wickets for Harmanpreet Kaur. Australia finished the day with a lead of 46 runs and five wickets in hand, with a fascinating finale in prospect.

Harmanpreet steps up

Before this December, when the Indian women’s team played a Test at home last in 2014, Harmanpreet Kaur had a nine-wicket haul in Mysore against South Africa. “Kaafi acchi yaadein hain,” Harmanpreet had said about that match, speaking before the England game. “I was the only offspinner in the team at that time, and my first wicket was off a full toss ball. It’s not something anyone ever imagines in a Test. But I found a good line and length after that. Now we have good offspinners in our side. Hopefully, I won’t be required to bowl but if I do, I would love to come and bowl a few overs for the team.”

With Australia proving to be a tough unit to break down in the second innings, Harmanpreet decided it was finally time. With McGrath and Healy’s partnership going strong for nearly 30 overs at that point, the Indian captain marked her run-up. Off her first delivery, it seemed she had gotten a wicket but McGrath correctly reviewed the LBW decision.

Mumbai: India-Women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Australia Women’s Tahlia McGrath on the third day of the one-off Test cricket match between India Women and Australia Women, at the Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023. (PTI Photo/Shashank Parade)

But the breakthrough was around the corner, as later in the over, McGrath played a forward defensive shot that was holding her in good stead all day. Only this time, the ball drifted away from Harmanpreet’s perfect release and then turned back in ever so slightly to take the inside edge and trickle onto the stumps. And she was off, running with arms spread and hugging her teammates as the resistance was finally broken.

There was more drama to come. In Harmanpreet’s fifth over, Healy drove the ball down the ground. The bowler picked it up and fired back an aggressive throw at the striker’s end that the Aussie captain deflected it off her bat behind the stumps, rightly trying to protect her body. But Harmanpreet wasn’t pleased with the ball going to the boundary before the umpires eventually gave it a four.

It spiced things up in the middle, and perhaps just enough for Healy to go for the wrong shot next ball. The sweep came out and Harmanpreet slid one through, and the LBW decision went in India’s favour. Despite some murmurs on UltraEdge, the third umpire correctly adjudged that there was no bat involved and India got their second big breakthrough of the final session.

“Harry di ka golden arm hai, whenever she comes to bowl, she gets a wicket,” Deepti Sharma said later in the day. “Even in the 50-overs World Cup in New Zealand, she did that, I remember (against South Africa, 2 wickets). She always remains ready, and when the situation is tough and all bowlers have done their part, we need a new bowler who can do some magic to get a breakthrough (she comes on). Their partnership was going on for a while and her wickets gave us the momentum.”

A season of gifts

From Australia’s perspective though, a majority of Day 3 went to plan. Taking a leaf out of India’s batting book, they showed significant restraint through the middle order as Perry and McGrath first (84 off 173) and then McGrath and Healy (66 off 175) put together strong partnerships. India did well to dry up the boundaries for the most part and focussed on keeping things tight with the pitch not misbehaving as much as one would expect. But the defensive technique on display from all three batters was brilliant as they chipped away at India’s lead.

But earlier in their innings, came a moment that would give Beth Mooney a sleepless night or two. It’s Christmas season, after all, and Australia gave India an early gift.

The experienced left-hander, who has been a thorn in India’s flesh many times in the past, was looking in good touch early on in Australia’s second innings. And then came a brain-fade she’d like to forget in the 12th over. Sneh Rana bowled a full ball that Mooney patted to Richa Ghosh at silly point. The Test debutant, who keeps wickets in the shorter formats, picked up the ball and was alert to effect a direct hit.

Meanwhile, Mooney had strolled out of the crease, turned her back to the fielder, and seemingly lost track of where the ball was. When she realised what was happening, it was already too late as Indians celebrated their first wicket of the day.

Mumbai: Indian wicket-keeper Yastika Bhatia appeals for the wicket of Australian batter Beth Mooney during the third day of the one-off Test cricket match between India and Australia, in Mumbai, Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023. (PTI Photo/Shashank Parade)

Mooney’s dismissal marked a mini-trend in this Test match of the opening batters getting run out in avoidable circumstances as Phoebe Litchfield and Smriti Mandhana would attest to.

All in all, a riveting Day 3 has set up a potentially thrilling finale to this one-off Test.

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