Shubha and Rodrigues give the silent treatment to England،
The silent treatment hurts. Dads know it. That's why they give it to you when you desperately need their permission to take that trip with your friends. The partners know it. That's why they turn their heads when you try to win them back after forgetting your birthday.
On Thursday, All Shubha Satheesh and Jemimah Rodrigues, two of India's three Test debutants, offered a quiet bat raise. No loud celebrations, no running around. A warm hug followed by a thank you towards the locker room. It was their maiden half-century in their first India outing for the Whites. You could feel England's suffering.
Perfect cover – a good forward stride, a bent back knee and a straight bat – has made Shubha stand out in international cricket. Rodrigues was off in testing with a push to the cover for a run. No stories. Both Shubha and Rodrigues had similar but contrasting journeys to Test selection.
Rodrigues made his under-19 debut for Mumbai at 13, while Shubha did so at 12 for Karnataka. Rodrigues made a name for herself with her attacking play while Shubha was known to be an accumulator and excellent timer of the ball. Shubha topped the Under-19 Women's One-Day Zone League batting charts in 2016 – 341 runs in five matches at an average of 113.67 – with Rodrigues second with 289 at 96.33.
The following season, Rodrigues scored 1013 points in 11 Under-19 One Day League matches. All of this led to an international debut in 2018, but the Test cap had to wait. Shubha, meanwhile, continued to ply her trade for top-ranked Karnataka, adding new strings to her bow, including becoming an agile and athletic fielder.
When India were scheduled to play their first Test after seven years in 2021, Rodrigues was part of the squad but did not make the XI in any of the matches in England or Australia. Meanwhile, a stellar few seasons in domestic cricket saw Shubha named for India's first home Test since 2014. And the DY Patil was where both made their Test bows.
If there was any pressure as India slipped to 47 for 2 after winning the toss, it did not show in the body language of either player. India had to view the Test match as an extension of their white-ball game, but Shubha and Rodrigues showed immense patience, whether leaving deliveries outside off or defending the right balls. They also quickly forgot about the super good deliveries that had caused them problems and quickly regrouped.
Like when fast bowler Lauren Filer, who impressed with her high pace during the Women's Ashes, surprised Shubha with a wicked bouncer which she managed to narrowly dodge. Or when Filer beat the inside edge of Rodrigues with a 118 km/h boost. Their footwork, after being manhandled, was as assured as when they moved towards the middle.
Either side of lunch, Shubha and Rodrigues reached their half-century – a straight drive with a half-step forward in front of the bowler allowed Shubha to reach her mark while Rodrigues deployed some fine further attack to reach his .
The fact that England could not create enough pressure or play consistently in the right areas helped Shubha and Rodrigues add 115 for the third wicket. Fifty of the 76 balls Shubha faced for her 69 were runs; Yet, she managed to score with a strike rate above 96 with the help of 13 fours. She finished with a control percentage of 81, the same as Rodrigues with his 68 from 99 balls.
“We were just having normal conversations about our plans,” Shubha said later. “Jemimah and I have played a lot of junior level cricket so we've known each other for quite a long time. It's just that we still talk all the time.
“It was a magnificent wicket to bat on. Jemimah and [I] we were just talking about it – you just have to play good cricket shots to keep you going. »
India had a lot of unknowns ahead of their first home Test in nine years. They didn't fancy making 410 for 7 – the second highest total after a full day's play in women's Test history. But here they are thanks to the silent treatment that their two beginners reserved for much more experienced opponents.
