Smriti Mandhana expressed immense pride on becoming the youngest woman to reach 300 international appearances during the England Test.
LONDON
India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana expressed immense pride on reaching the milestone of 300 international appearances during historic one-off Test match against England. Celebrating the monumental occasion at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground, the star opening batter stated that she could not have envisioned a more perfect venue to mark her special career landmark.
At just 29 years and 357 days old, Mandhana has written her name into the history books as the youngest woman in cricket history to achieve this feat. She reached the milestone faster than global cricket legends like South Africa’s Sune Luus and Australia’s Ellyse Perry. The elegant left-handed opener is now the 12th woman overall and the third Indian woman after Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur to feature in 300 international games.
Mandhana revealed that she only discovered the milestone the night before the match. Reflecting on her journey, she recalled playing the 2017 World Cup final at the very same venue. She admitted having a difficult tournament back then and feeling highly uncertain if she would ever represent India again. Returning to Lord’s for her 300th match felt like a poetic full-circle moment.
The vice-captain also emphasized the collective need for the Indian team to move past their recent T20 World Cup heartbreak. Mandhana noted that cricket requires a mindset of constant forward momentum, treating every new inning as a completely fresh start from zero.
Transitioning to red-ball cricket requires a vital shift in batting preparation. Mandhana explained that succeeding in Test matches demands patience, careful ball-watching, and returning to foundational basics. Unlike the high strike rates expected in T20s, red-ball cricket is about showing extreme discipline and spending long periods at the crease. The Indian squad fine-tuned their skills during a warm-up training block at Wormsley, helping them adapt smoothly to the longer format. As the historic Test progressed, Mandhana remained fully focused on taking things in stride and delivering her absolute best for her country.
