India’s teenage batting sensation Shafali Verma has broken several records during her Test debut against England in Bristol. The 17-year-old opener became the first Indian and youngest woman from any other country to surpass the fifty-run mark in both innings of her Test debut, with 96 and 63.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Shafali Verma supassed fifty in both the innings on her Test debut against England women
• Shafali Verma scored 96 and 63 in the one-off Test against England
• Shafali Verma posted the highest Test score by an Indian woman on Test debut

Sachin Tendulkar’s final Ranji Trophy match turned out to be a most unlikely passing of the baton.

In 2013, when Sachin played his last Ranji Trophy match against Haryana at the Chaudhary Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium in Lahli, Haryana, a nine-year-old sitting on her father’s shoulder was chanting ‘Saachin, Saachin!’

The girl was Shafali Verma!

The 17-year-old lived up to her reputation and became the first Indian and the youngest woman from any country to score a half-century in both the innings on her Test debut. She scored 96 and 63 in the one-off Test against England and was declared player of the match.

Unperturbed by the occasion, the youngster smashed 13 fours and two sixes during her 152-ball stay in the first innings. During her knock, Verma shattered the record of Chanderkanta Kaul, who had scored 75 on her Test debut against New Zealand at Nelson in 1995. Shafali added 167 runs with her senior opening partner Smriti Mandhana (78). The duo’s effort was India’s highest opening partnership, going past the 153-run mark stand between Gargi Banerji and Sandhya Agarwal against Australia in Mumbai in 1984.

Shafali followed it up with a crisp 63 in the second innings.

Shafali’s performance has raised expectations and drew parallels. Shafali has been compared to Virender Sehwag because of the way she bats. The teenager even got out in her attempt to reach the century with a maximum. Remember the dismissal of Virender Sehwag against Australia in Melbourne 2003, when he tried to complete the double century with a six and got at the boundary off Simon Katich’s low full-toss.

There are a lot of things that Sehwag is credited for in Indian cricket. He certainly changed the definition of an opening batsman with his extraordinary approach.

Shafali might be a lottery to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). There is no doubt that If she sets The Hundred on fire, the Indian board will waste no time in floating a Women’s Indian Premier League.

As former England cricket and commentator David Llyod rightly said: “She is someone who will bring crowds to the stadium.”

Let her be Shafali

Ashwani Kumar, Shafali’s coach for the past eight years, doesn’t like this comparison. “Let her be first Shafali rather than calling her lady Sehwag,” he told India Today.In.

Former India skipper Anjum Chopra has also echoed Kumar’s viewpoint.

Speaking to IndiaToday.In, she said: “It’s too early to compare her with the likes of Virender Sehwag. As of now, let’s all sit back and enjoy Shafali Verma’s batting.”

Father’s determination

None of it would have been possible but for Sanjeev Verma’s determination for his daughter to play for India. He got her enrolled at Ram Narain Academy in Rohtak. There were very few girls of Shafali’s age, so coach Ashwini Kumar put her into the boy’s team.

Bruised and battered several times in those formative years in the boy’s team, Shafali’s passion for the game became stronger by the day.

“It was not easy for her to play against the boys as she often used to get hit on the helmet. On a few occasions, they even smashed her helmet grill. I used to get worried, but she never gave up,” recalls Sanjeev, who runs a small jewellery shop in Rohtak.

“I will always be thankful to Ashwini sir, for that. Playing with boys made her strong, and by the time she reached 14, she was already facing the likes of Haryana Ranji Trophy bowlers Mohit Sharma and Ashish Hooda in the nets. Mohit Sharma has even played for India. The fearless approach in her batting was planted at a very young age,” said Sanjeev.

After missing out on a century on debut, Shafali took to Twitter to thank everyone for the support and backing.

“I know my father, my family, my Association, my team, and the academy will miss those four runs more than me, but I will make it up to them on other occasions. They have all been a huge support,” Shafali wrote on Twitter.

“No, no, I am not upset, not at all. It was a fantastic knock. She will learn from her mistake. For Shafali, individual records have never mattered. She scores run for her team. I am thankful to the team management for backing Shafali, and hopefully, this is just the beginning,” said Sanjeev.

However, the teenager admitted that she felt terrible after missing out on a century. The Indian opener said in the virtual post-match media conference, said: “It’s always natural to feel bad to miss out on a hundred (on debut). I will always regret it, but this innings will give me a lot of confidence in the coming matches. I hope to convert it to a hundred the next time.”