India star rips through England to take historic Test by storm as former captain calls time

Kranti Gaud took five wickets before Smriti Mandhana once more piled on the runs against England as India continued to dominate the inaugural women’s Test at Lord’s on Saturday.

Seam bowler Gaud led the way with a miserly 5-37 in 17 overs as England were dismissed for 170 in reply to India’s first-innings 285.

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Come the close of the second day of four, India were 154-1 in their second innings, a huge overall lead of 269 runs.

This is far in excess of the highest successful fourth-innings chase to win a women’s Test -- Australia’s 198 against England in Sydney in 2011.

Elegant left-hander Mandhana, carrying on from her sublime first-innings 83, was 69 not out after sharing an opening stand of 88 with Shafali Verma (33).

After 142 years of men’s Test cricket at Lord’s, Gaud has now become the first woman to gain a coveted place on the honours board at Lord’s that lists bowlers who have taken five or more wickets in a Test innings at the ground, with the 22-year-old joining the likes of Indian men’s greats Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, Bishan Bedi and Kapil Dev.

“It feels great to be on the honours board,” Gaud told reporters after stumps, with England left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone admitting the hosts had endured a “tough day”.

- England collapse -

England, who resumed on 21-1, collapsed to 32-3 after losing two wickets for no runs in four balls.

Their only significant resistance on another sunny day at Lord’s came from a fifth-wicket stand of 84 between captain Nat Sciver-Brunt (44) and Amy Jones (52).

India’s seamers settled into an accurate line and length far more quickly than their England counterparts.

Maia Bouchier, 17 not out overnight, pushed loosely outside off stump to Gaud and was caught behind for 23.

And 32-2 became 32-3 when ex-England captain Heather Knight was lbw to Sayali Satghare for six.

The collapse continued when Gaud produced a superb delivery that slanted in and then swung away to bowl Alice Capsey for nine, with England now in dire straits at 47-4.

Sciver-Brunt, fresh from her 58 not out in England’s T20 World Cup final defeat by Australia at Lord’s last week, found an ally in Jones, who put a run of low white-ball scores behind her on Saturday.

But the wicketkeeper fell before lunch when she gave a simple bat-pad catch to short leg off the bowling of off-spinner Sneh Rana.

Sciver-Brunt had only added five runs to her interval score of 39 when Gaud had her plumb lbw.

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“All the five wickets were special,” said Gaud. “But that one (Sciver-Brunt) mattered most to me as we really needed a wicket at that stage.” Gaud completed her five-wicket haul in dramatic fashion when Lauren Bell’s edged drive flew to the slip cordon, where it was parried in front of her throat by Rana before a diving Verma grabbed the rebound.

Mandhana, who on Friday became the youngest women to feature in 300 international games across all formats at the age of 29 years and 357 days, was again in excellent touch.

She punished Bell for pitching short with languid pull shots and the runs kept coming as Verma, out for nought in the first innings, struck the seamer down the ground.

Mandhana also lofted Ecclestone -- who on Friday became England’s leading wicket-taker in all international formats -- for a magnificent straight six.

“She’s an amazing player,” said Ecclestone of Mandhana. “We’ve had so many battles over the years, she knows how I am as a bowler and I know how she plays - and she’s coming out on top at the minute.”

FORMER SKIPPER ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

Heather Knight, England’s 2017 World Cup-winning captain and the most capped women’s player in England history, announced Saturday she will retire from international cricket following the end of the ongoing Test match against India at Lord’s.

Knight, who made her England debut in 2010 and has featured in 320 matches across all formats, joins teammate Tammy Beaumont in bowing out of international cricket at the conclusion of the historic first women’s Test at Lord’s.

Knight has made nearly 8,000 international runs across all formats, with six centuries.

At Canberra in 2020, her hundred during the T20 World Cup made her the first English women’s player to score hundreds in all three forms of the game.

Arguably her best day in England colours came when she led the side to victory over India in the 2017 50-over World Cup final at Lord’s, having succeeded Charlotte Edwards -- now England’s head coach -- as skipper the previous year.

She went on to lead the team on 199 occasions from 2016 to 2025, overseeing 134 victories before standing down following a humiliating 16-0 loss in Australia during the multi-format Ashes of 2024/25.

“I’m extremely grateful and privileged to have gone on the journey that I have been on as an England cricketer,” Knight said.

“It’s hard to walk away because the dressing-room and the people in the dressing-room have been a constant in my life for 16 years, and the memories and the experiences and the people have helped shape me become who I am today, but I’m really content with this decision and I’m really excited for what’s next.” Knight, plagued by injuries in recent years, is set to move into administration, having taken up a role as general manager at London Spirit, with the new season of the Hundred starting at the end of the month.

She made six in the first innings of the ongoing Test, with England on course for a heavy defeat after India ended Saturday’s second day of four on 154-1 in their second innings -- a huge overall lead of 269 runs.

- ‘Privilege of my life’ -

The 35-year-old Knight showed her enduring value to England with a key innings of 58, during a stand of 133 with current skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt that changed the course of last week’s T20 World Cup semi-final against South Africa after the hosts had slumped to 23-3.

England were well-beaten by Australia in the ensuing Lord’s final. “As a team, we’ve shared some special moments with the fans over the years and I want to thank everyone who has supported and given their love to the women’s game,” said Knight. “Watching this great game grow has been the greatest privilege of my life.” Clare Connor, managing director England Women, said: “Heather’s contribution to England women’s cricket has been extraordinary.

“She has combined skill and determination as a player with exceptional leadership qualities, helping to shape this team and the game more broadly through one of the most significant periods in its history.”

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