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By:

Kiran D. Tare

21 August 2024 at 11:23:13 am

The Lady of Lord’s

Yastika Bhatia’s maiden Test century at Lord’s crowns the rise of an elegant wicketkeeper-batter who has quietly become indispensable to India’s new generation. Critics may say that there are flashier cricketers than Yastika Bhatia. She does not possess the raw power of a Smriti Mandhana or the aura of a Harmanpreet Kaur. She rarely dominates highlight reels or social media clips. Instead, she has built her reputation through reliability – a quality far more vital. At a time when white-ball...

The Lady of Lord’s

Yastika Bhatia’s maiden Test century at Lord’s crowns the rise of an elegant wicketkeeper-batter who has quietly become indispensable to India’s new generation. Critics may say that there are flashier cricketers than Yastika Bhatia. She does not possess the raw power of a Smriti Mandhana or the aura of a Harmanpreet Kaur. She rarely dominates highlight reels or social media clips. Instead, she has built her reputation through reliability – a quality far more vital. At a time when white-ball cricket prizes spectacle, the 24-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has become one of India’s finest practitioners of the understated virtues of timing, patience and composure. Bhatia’s 113 against England which powered the Indian women’s side to a historic win at Lord’s was not merely her maiden Test century but the first ever scored by a woman at cricket’s most celebrated venue. The innings helped India seal a comprehensive 270-run victory in the first women’s Test ever staged at Lord’s. Her hundred earned her a place on the Lord’s honours board, where generations of the game’s greatest names have been immortalised. Few entries have carried quite the same symbolism. Until now, no woman’s name had appeared there for a Test century because no women’s Test had ever been played at the ground. Bhatia’s career has mirrored the evolution of Indian women’s cricket itself. Born in Vadodara, she emerged through Gujarat’s domestic circuit at a time when opportunities for young women were expanding but remained far from abundant. A naturally gifted left-hander, she impressed selectors with a technique that appeared more classical than contemporary. Where modern batting often relies on innovation and improvisation, Bhatia’s game is rooted in balance. She plays late, favours placement over power and rarely appears rushed. Such attributes explain why coaches have long regarded her as especially suited to the demands of Test cricket, even though women are offered precious few opportunities to play the format. Modern wicketkeepers are expected to contribute almost as specialist batters while maintaining relentless concentration over long periods. Bhatia has embraced both responsibilities, becoming an important cog in an Indian side that has steadily shed its dependence on a handful of senior stars. That transformation has accelerated dramatically over the past year. India’s maiden Women’s ODI World Cup triumph marked a watershed for the sport, confirming that the country's women could finally translate promise into silverware. Although Bhatia missed that campaign after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury shortly before the tournament, her absence perhaps underscored her growing importance. Months of rehabilitation restored her confidence. If the World Cup represented the one that got away, Lord’s offered redemption. Returning to international cricket only recently, Bhatia produced an innings of remarkable maturity against England’s experienced attack. Her 113 came from 158 balls, balancing restraint with authority as India tightened their grip on the match. She admitted that six months earlier, while beginning rehabilitation, the idea of seeing her name on the Lord’s honours board would have seemed implausible. Those who know her were scarcely surprised. Former Indian wicketkeeper Kiran More, who has mentored Bhatia, has long spoken of her temperament rather than merely her talent. Scoring a century at Lord’s, he observed, is an ambition shared by virtually every cricketer. Achieving it after months away from the game simply reflected the resilience that had always underpinned her cricket. But hers was not a sentimental century assembled through fortune. It was a technically accomplished performance built on judgement outside off stump, crisp drives through the covers and the patience required by the longest format. It showcased precisely why Test cricket continues to matter. Unlike Twenty20, where brilliance can be compressed into a handful of overs, the five-day game rewards concentration accumulated over hours. For Indian women’s cricket, Bhatia’s century represents something larger than an individual milestone. It demonstrates the increasing depth of a side that is no longer defined solely by its biggest names. New heroes are emerging, backed by stronger domestic structures, better coaching and a professionalism unimaginable a decade ago. The honours board at Lord’s records statistics with characteristic restraint. It simply notes that Yastika Bhatia scored a century. Future generations may glance at the name without appreciating the path that led there. But Indian cricket will remember that the first woman to reach three figures at Lord’s was not merely making history. She was announcing that a new generation has arrived.

At least 100 terrorists killed: Rajnath

  • PTI
  • May 8, 2025
  • 2 min read

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday told an all-party meeting that at least 100 terrorists were killed when India struck terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under the still ongoing Operation Sindoor, sources said.


The defence minister also informed the leaders, who fully endorsed the government's military action and complimented the armed forces, that India will hit back if Pakistan attacks, they said.


Political leaders from parties, including the Congress, AIMIM, Trinamool Congress and the DMK, extended full cooperation to the government on the issue of national security.


"In the moment of crisis, we are with the government," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said after the meeting.


"The defence minister said this is a sensitive time and in the interest of the country, detailed questions are not to be asked," he said.


"Operation Sindoor claimed the lives of at least 100 terrorists. It is difficult to give an exact estimate as the operation is still ongoing and we are still collating the details. India will give a befitting reply if Pakistan attacks," a source at the meeting quoted Singh as saying in a suo motu statement.


Leaders’ maturity

Addressing reporters after the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said leaders showed maturity and did not indulge in bickering at the meeting, presided over by Singh and convened to evolve a broad political consensus on the issue.


"The discussions were conducted in a constructive and serious manner given the gravity of the issue at hand. The defence minister briefed all leaders in detail about Operation Sindoor. Each leader expressed their views with responsibility and maturity, recognising the major challenge the country is currently facing," Rijiju said.


"Across party lines, political leaders said there is no place for politics in such critical times. All leaders unanimously congratulated our armed forces on the success of Operation Sindoor and assured their full support to the government, with no dissent whatsoever," he added.


Several valuable suggestions were also put forward during the meeting, held a day after Operation Sindoor, Rijiju said.


Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and BJP president J P Nadda attended the meeting.


Among the opposition leaders present were T R Baalu (DMK), Ram Gopal Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Sanjay Singh (AAP), Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena-UBT, Supriya Sule (NCP-SP) and John Brittas (CPI-M).


Besides, JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha and Union minister and LJP (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan were also part of the meeting.

 

"I also said that we should run an international campaign against TRF and the UN Security Council should designate it as terror organisation. We also need to ask the United States to designate TRF as foreign terrorist organisation in the country.”

Asaduddin Owaisi, Chief, AIMIM


"Defence Minister said this is a sensitive time and in the interest of the country, detailed questions are not to be asked that are defence secrets. If a session is called, MPs can put forward their views and enhance the confidence of the people.”

Mallikarjun Kharge, President, Congress

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