India vs England: Visitors' first win under Mithali Raj in 2006, and other Test matches contested between two sides

Seven years after their last match in Test cricket which saw them register a thumping win against South Africa back in 2014, Mithali Raj-led India finally gear up for a Test match as they face England in the one-off Test in Bristol. While most of their previous encounters have ended in draws, India have emerged victorious on the last two occasions with series win in 2006 and a win in the one-off Test in 2014, while England have won a Test just one.

Mithali Raj knows English pitches very well. It was at Taunton where she broke the record for the highest individual score by a women’s cricketer in Tests 19 years back, which was later broken by Pakistan's Kiran Baluch (242) against West Indies in 2004. India will once again look up to her and Jhulan Goswami as senior members of the side, to inspire a third consecutive win over England in the longest format.

Ahead of the one-off Test that starts in Bristol on Wednesday, we take a look at all of the India women vs England women Tests:

England women vs India women, 1st Test at Wetherby (26-30 June, 1986)

This was India women’s cricket team’s maiden Test series on English soil and they had been captained by Shubhangi Kulkarni, who had been in the international arena for a decade. The hosts, meanwhile were captained by Carole Hodges.

As many as four Indians - Manimala Singhal, Minoti Desai, Rekha Punekar and Venkatacher Kalpana made their Test debuts for India.

India won the toss and opted to bat. Although they struggled their way to 203-7 at the end of Day 1, it was Shubhangi who led them to 323 on the next day with a spirited knock of 118. The top-order ,barring Gargi Banerji (38) largely failed, but the lower order consisting of Minoti Desai (54) and Manimala Singhal (44) played well under pressure.

Avril Starling was the star of England’s bowling lineup with four wickets, but in reply, the England batters failed to accelerate. Shantha Rangaswamy, the first captain of the Indian women's team and the first captain to win a Test, stepped up with four wickets to derail the English reply. Lesley Cooke (72) and Sarah Potter (86) were the only standout performers as the hosts were bowled out for 198.

It was advantage India as it meant they had a lead of 125 runs. However, by end of Day 3, they found themselves reeling at 76-6, and after a rest day that followed, they were bundled out for 128 on Day 4.

This meant England needed 254 runs to win on the final day. It wasn’t impossible.

Skipper Hodges (68) and Lesley Cooke (117) led England's reply, and while at once it seemed like England would walk away with the win, they eventually fell tantalisingly short and finished their innings at 229-5 at the close of play on the final day. In the end, it was a closely fought drawn Test as the action next headed for Blackpool for the second match.

England women vs India women 2nd Test at Blackpool (3-7 July, 1986)

Another drawn Test, and it was another impressive show from some of India’s batters. Once again, India won the toss and elected to bat first at Stanley Park in Blackpool. Sandhya Agarwal (132) and Shubhangi Kulkarni (78) played pivotal roles in helping India reach 250-2 on Day 1, before eventually propelling them to 426-9 dec. Rajani Venugopal (55) and Rekha Punekar (47) also contributed well with the bat.

In reply, it was an inspired display from the England top order. Carole Hodges scored 51 while Lesley Cooke (64) continued her consistent run. Jane Powell scripted an unbeaten 115 to lead England to 350/6 dec by Day 3.

India gained a lead of 76 as a result, and following the rest day, knocks from Gargi Banerji (75) and Sudha Shah (62) led them to 176-2 dec, meaning England needed 253 to win on the final day. A draw was looming large, and England could only put up a total of 54-2, with Carole Hodges (35) top-scoring in that innings.

England women vs India women 3rd Test at Worcester (12-15 July, 1986)

There was all to play for after the drawn first two Tests, and England opted to bat after winning the toss. Carole Hodges led from the front with an unbeaten 121 while Janette Brittin (125) also played her part, leading England to 332-7 dec on Day 1. Diana Edulji was India’s standout bowler with four wickets. In reply, Sandhya Agarwal hit a brilliant 190, registering the then best individual batting score for an Indian woman in Tests until Mithali Raj broke it 16 years later. She helped India gain a lead of 42 runs. Gillian McConway scalped as many as seven wickets.

Sarah Potter (102) was the star of English reply as she initially led them to 62-2 at end of Day 3 before England finished at 253-7 dec, as India needed 212 runs to win the series.

Once again, time was against India’s side as they managed 54/1, at the end of Day 4, thereby enforcing another draw with the series witnessing shared winners.

 India women vs England women, 1st Test at Kolkata (17-20 November, 1995)

Less than a decade since the drawn Test series in the United Kingdom, England toured India for a three-match series.

Purnima Rau, who had made her debut against New Zealand earlier in February that year, was named captain of the Indian side.

This was a match where Anjum Chopra made her Test debut, along with the likes of Shyama Shaw, SB Nandy and Subrata Banerjee for the visitors.

Janette Brittin top-scored for the visitors with 84 as England declared at 209-5 in a rain-marred contest where the second day was washed out. In reply, Anju Jain responded strongly with a knock of 110 as India declared at 314-6. Sangita Dabir too scored an unbeaten 50.

Due to rain, the second day was completely lost, a result was far from sight and England, trailing the hosts by 105 runs, managed just 28-2 in their second innings with another Test ending in a draw.

India women vs England women, 2^nd Test at Jamshedpur (24-27 November, 1995)

After four consecutive drawn Tests between these two sides, there was finally a result - An England victory, and it was a close contest.

England won the toss and opted to bat, but their decision to do so was met with a setback. Janette Brittin top-scored with 44 as England managed only 196. Sangita Dabir scalped four wickets for India.

India responded strongly, with Dabir (60) carrying her brilliant bowling form into her batting, while Shyama Shaw (54) also scored a half-century. India posted 263 on Day 3. England trailed by 67 runs.

In England’s second innings, it was Neetu David who stole the show with eight wickets to see off visitors for 194, meaning India needed just 128 runs to win on the final day.

It wasn't the best outing for the batters as only Anjum Chopra showed some semblance of fight top-scoring with 31 runs. Most of the batters could not convert the starts as England hardly gave the opponents an inch.

India struggled their way throughout the chase and Debra Stock’s brilliant four-fer helped England clinch a thrilling two-run win to take a 1-0 lead.

India women vs England women 3rd Test at Hyderabad (10-13 December, 1995)

Following a narrow defeat in the previous game, India were aiming to restore parity. England put India to bat after winning the toss, and Claire Taylor did all things right for the visitors, scalping four wickets to see the hosts off for 184. Shyama Shaw (66) headlined an otherwise disappointing batting effort from India.

Shaw was in the thick of things once again as she scalped three wickets as England were bowled out for just 98. As many as seven batters were victims of single-figure dismissals, with Sue Metcalfe (23) top scoring for England.

India enjoyed an 86-run lead into the second innings and later declared at 216-7, with Chanderkanta Kaul top-scoring with 67.

England needed 303 runs to win by the time they began their second innings on Day 3, and it turned out to be another thriller.

Janette Brittin started off well at the top with 68 but couldn't get the support from other batters as Pramila Bhatt and Purnima Rau shared seven wickets. A win was in sight with England reduced to 160/9 but they couldn't break the last wicket resistance of Debra Stock (9) and Clare Taylor (9). As the match ended in a draw

It was still a memorable tour for England as they clinched the series 1-0, following their win in the second Test.

England women vs India women Only Test at Shenley (15-18 July, 1999)

This only Test between the two teams was the last match of India’s tour to England, which included three ODIs against hosts apart from an only ODI against Ireland in Milton Keynes.

India, led by Chanderkanta Kaul, were asked to bowl first and it was the hosts who started strongly, posting 329 by Day 2 of the Test on the back of a Charlotte Edwards (108) century. In reply, fighting efforts from the Indian skipper Chanderkanta (48), Hemlata Kala (37) and Arati Vaidya (35*) were not enough as India were bundled out for 201 on the third day.

England then built on their 128-run lead into the second innings, later declaring at 123-9 on Day 4.

This meant India needed 252 runs to win, and again it went down the wire Anju Jain (59) and Chanderkanta (66) kept India in the hunt. England couldn't pick up the last two wickets as India finished on 223-8 for another thrilling draw.

India women vs England women only Test at Lucknow ( 14-17 January, 2002)

The first Test of the new decade between the two teams ended in a draw, with rain playing a part in the result at Lucknow’s KD Singh Babu Stadium. England opted to bat first after winning the toss. On Day 1, England reached 150-0, and the opening duo of Caroline Atkins and Arran Brindle went onto make a world-record partnership of 200 before the former was dismissed.

England went onto post 314. Play was delayed on Day 3 due to heavy overnight rain and finally got underway at 3 pm, with 36.1 overs being bowled. In reply to England’s 314, India finished the day at 94-1, and on the final day with a draw looming large, Hemlata Kala scored a fine century (110) as India finished on 312-9.

England women vs India women, 1^st Test at Shenley (8-11 August, 2002)

The first of two Tests during India’s tour to England was abandoned without a ball being bowled following three days of heavy rain at the Shenley Cricket Centre. Later, on 10 August, England skipper Clare Connor and her Indian counterpart Anjum Chopra agreed to play a compensatory ODI the next day, which the hosts won by six wickets.

England women vs India women, 2^nd Test at Taunton (14-17 August, 2002)

This Test match witnessed history. Mithali Raj, who had only made her Test debut in January 2002, broke the previous world record of the highest individual score in a women’s Test, with a then knock of 214. She had beaten Australia’s Karen Rolton's record of 209 not out against England just a year earlier in 2001.

India women elected to field first and bowled out England for 329 on Day 2 courtesy a fine four-wicket spell by Neetu David. Then arrived the Mithali magic, who slammed 19 fours en route to her 407-ball knock of 214. Hemlata Kala (62) and Jhulan Goswami too played their parts as India posted 467 on Day 4 of the match.

With most of the time used up, Charlotte Edwards (56) took England to 198-6 dec and the Test ending in a draw.

India women vs England women, only Test at Delhi (21-24 November, 2005)

England were coming off from an ODI series victory over Sri Lanka in the Island nation. Led by Charlotte Edwards, England managed to bowl India out for 289 on Day 2 of the Test, courtesy a five-wicket haul from Laura Harper. Mithali Raj was the top-scorer with 78. In reply, Jhulan Goswami ran through the England batting line-up with a five-wicket haul to bundle them out for just 154, meaning the hosts had a clear advantage by Day 3 of the Test.

With a 135-run lead at their hands, India declared at 175/4, with England needing 311 to win.

However, the English batters came out with strong resolve, battled hard and eked out a draw finishing at 210/6.

India women vs England women 1^st Test at Leicester (8-11 August, 2006)

England’s decision to bat first in this match resulted in a mixed outing for the hosts. India bowled as a unit as they restricted the hosts to just 223 with Caroline Atkins top-scoring with 73.

Hemlata Kala (69) and Jhulan Goswami (69) responded well while Mithali Raj (47) missed out on a fifty, as India put up 298 on board.

In England’s second innings, Claire Taylor led the hosts to a much better batting display as they declared on 345-9, setting India a 271-run target on the final day.

In reply, the top and middle order failed and India were left reeling at 74/6. This is when Rumeli Dhar (57) and Amita Sharma (50) hit fighting fifties to keep England at bay and conjure a draw as India finished on 187/8.

India women vs England women at Taunton (29 August to 1 September, 2006)

Twenty years on from their first-ever Test in England, an Indian side led by Mithali Raj finally achieved victory in a Test over England. India elected to bat, and rode on knocks from Anjum Chopra (98) and Mithali (65) to lead them to 307.

In reply, England batsmen were outclassed as they were bundled out for 99 thanks to a five-for from Jhulan Goswami. They were asked to follow on, and put up an improved show this time with skipper Charlotte Edwards’ century guiding them to 305.

However, India needed just 98 to win, and despite a few blips, Mithali Raj (22) made sure she took India past the finish line with five wickets to spare.

India women vs England women, Only Test at Wormsley (13-16 August, 2014)

The last of the 14 Tests played so far came seven years back, and this was a Test between the two teams after a gap of eight years. And India impressed yet again.

The future stars of India like Smriti Mandhana, Punam Raut, Shikha Pandey were Test debutants in this match.

Electing to field first, Niranjana Nagarajan picked four wickets to see bowl England for just 92, with Sarah Taylor (30) top-scoring.

However, England fought back to restrict India to just 114 in reply. As many as eight debutants were playing in the Indian team and they seemingly struggled with the bat, with Niranjana top-scoring with 27.

With England trailing by 22 runs, led by Jhulan Goswami's four-fer India restricted England to 202 in their second innings with Jenny Gunn top scoring with an unbeaten 62.

India were set a tricky target of 183. They needed a solid start and it was provided by Thirush Kamini (28) and Smriti Mandhana (51) who added 76 for the first wicket. It set the tone and laid the foundation for the rest of the batters. Though Punam Raut (16) and Harmanpreet Kaur (0) couldn't contribute much, Mithali (50 not out) and Shikha Pandey (28 not out) made sure they took India past the finish line.. India won by six wickets and despite ending up on the losing side, Jenny Gunn was named player of the match for her unbeaten knock of 62 in the second innings and a five-wicket haul in the first innings.