The visitors recovered well from 37 for two, with Mandhana leading the innings alongside Jemimah Rodrigues before combining with captain Harmanpreet Kaur in an 89-wicket fourth-wicket stand. Mandhana looked to hit a century before reaching 83, while Harmanpreet added 58 to put India in control of the middle order.
England, however, responded strongly to tea. Opener Mady Villiers, Sophie Ecclestone and Issy Wong struck regularly to trigger a collapse that saw India lose seven wickets for 85 runs. Deepti Sharma’s crucial 57 and her partnership with Sneh Rana ensured that India crossed the 280-run mark despite late hurdles.
The day also marked a milestone for Ecclestone, who beat Katherine Sciver-Brunt to become England’s all-time leading scorer in world cricket.
England’s reply got off to a smart start as Kranti Goud removed Tammy Beaumont for just two runs. Maya Bouchier remained unbeaten on 17 along with Heather Knight as the visitors ended the day on 21 for one, still trailing by 264 runs.
With India missing the opportunity to convert a winning position into a massive first-innings lead and England looking to mount a late surge, the Test remains tight for the second day at the Home of Cricket.
