Other notable names in the elite list include Gargi Banerjee, Diana Edulji, and Shubhangi Kulkarni, who has five five-wicket hauls. The 30-year-old Rana is now the second Indian bowler in Women’s Tests to take 8 wickets in an innings. Her performance helped India bowl out South Africa for 266 in 84.3 overs at Chepauk.

Best figures for India in Women’s Tests:

1. Neetu David: 31.3-12-53-8 against England, Jamshedpur, 1995
2. Sneh Rana: 25.3-4-77-8 against South Africa, Chennai, 2024
3. Gargi Banerjee: 9.4-6-9-6 against New Zealand, Cuttack, 1985
4. Diana Edulji: 25.3-5-64-6 against Australia, Delhi, 1984
5. Shubhangi Kulkarni: 22.2-0-99-6 against Australia, Perth, 1977

South Africa was under immense pressure after India posted a massive first-innings total of 603 for 6 declared. Smriti Mandhana set the tone with a score of 149, followed by Shafali Verma’s 205. Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Richa Ghosh also scored brisk half-centuries, with Ghosh narrowly missing a Test century, dismissed for 86 by Nonkululeko Mlaba.

After the batters excelled, it was Rana’s turn to dominate. She made early breakthroughs by dismissing Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch, and later claimed the key wicket of Marizanne Kapp, who scored 74. Rana ended the South African innings by taking Mlaba’s wicket, enabling India to enforce the follow-on with a lead of 337 runs in the first innings.

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