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214 of pure class! Mithali Raj’s knock that shook England in the Test arena in 2002

Poulomi Chakraborty

Mithali Raj' double ton (Source: @ICC/x.com)Mithali Raj' double ton (Source: @ICC/x.com)

The test format has always been the pinnacle of cricket, as the five days of marathon red-ball thrills don’t deliver a single dull moment. While men’s Tests have delivered epic showdowns, Women’s Tests remain an underrated treasure waiting to be discovered.

Centuries elevate a player, and double centuries make them legends. When it comes to Indian cricketers with a Test double ton, names like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Yashasvi Jaiswal dominate the spotlight, but Mithali Raj quietly smashed a stunning double century years ago.

On December 3, the former Indian captain is celebrating her birthday, and it's the perfect moment to relive her heroics against England. Let’s relive the moment when she stunned the world with an exceptional double ton.

A dazzling double ton etches Mithali’s name in history

While the male cricket dominated the longest format, women’s cricket had to wait long to make their mark in Tests for less than a century. By the time the men played their first Test in 1877, the women’s game was still decades away from history. It finally arrived in 1934, when Australia and England collided in a landmark showdown that launched a brand-new era for women’s Test cricket.

Even after the Women’s Test was introduced to the world in 1934, India Women stepped into the longest format in 1976, facing the West Indies Women as their first opponent. Since then, the Women in Blue may have had fewer chances in the format, but every time they’ve stepped onto the field, they’ve made it count with pride and grit.

But in the Test series against England Women in 2002, a milestone was waiting for the India Women’s side. In the second Test, Mithali Raj unleashed a breathtaking double century, becoming the first woman ever to reach the landmark.

A spectacular 214 that defines Mithali Raj’s greatness

After the first match between England and India was abandoned, both sides stepped into the second match eyeing a win. While batting first, England put on a massive total of 329 runs on the board, and India arrived to bat. Opening the innings, Sunetra Paranjpe walked away early, and captain Anjum Chopra joined Mamatha Maben.

Blows arrived when Maben walked away in 20 runs, and Mithali Raj joined the captain. After the youngster came to bat, England eyed an early dominance, but Mithali flipped the script with dominance. Teaming up with skipper Anjum Chopra, Mithali powered through with a brilliant fifty that turned the tide.

When the English side tried to put pressure on the Women in Blue, Mithali defied every odds and slammed a spectacular Test ton. Even after Anjum Chopra’s dismissal, she stitched a 144-run partnership with Hemlata Kala and gave a massive boost to India’s total.

Continuing the domination, she crossed the 150-run mark and smashed a double ton. At that moment, India created history as she became the first India Women’s batter to score a double hundred in the longest format.

Delivering brilliance while grabbing her team from a serious position, Mithali Raj played a classic knock of 214 runs in 407 balls with 19 boundaries. With that, India put on a challenging total on the board.

In today’s era, Indian fans adore the Women’s team just as men’s one, but when Mithali Raj scored the double ton, the Indian Women’s side was fighting for recognition on their own home soil. Standing at that point, the former Indian captain proved that women’s cricket is much more than what the world thinks.

The innings inspired a new generation to pick up the bat with belief, pride, and ambition. Just not in Indian cricket, the knock has become immortal in Women’s Test cricket history.