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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.

Ballot Duty

After nearly three years of delay, Maharashtra’s eagerly-awaited civic polls including the key Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections are finally here. In Mumbai, the polls will see over 1.03 crore voters deciding the fate of 227 wards. Across Maharashtra, elections for 29 municipal corporations including the Pune (PMC) and Pimpri-Chinchwad (PCMC) civic bodies will be held in a single phase, with results declared the next day. The State Election Commission has even declared the day a public holiday to facilitate voting. Yet a holiday is no excuse for abstention. Civic governance is not a spectator sport but demands active participation.


Municipal elections may lack the drama of parliamentary polls, but they are more consequential for everyday life. Local representatives determine who repairs your potholes, manages water supply, oversees sanitation, or ensures emergency relief during floods. In short, they shape the lived reality of millions. Each ward’s outcome will have immediate and tangible effects on infrastructure, public health, and urban administration. For Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad among other civic bodies, the stakes could scarcely be higher.


This year’s ballots present a novel challenge as in many PMC and PCMC wards, rival candidates share the same surnames. Long-standing local political dynasties, once united under a single banner have now fragmented across multiple parties, leaving voters to discern not a party label, but an individual’s record of service. The familiar name, once a mark of trust, now risks being a source of confusion.


Voters must rise to this challenge. They know which politician mobilises relief during floods and who fights for local infrastructure. Civic elections, in this sense, are a test of the electorate’s acuity. The ballot is a lens through which voters separate legacy from effectiveness, familiarity from genuine contribution.


Yet apathy remains a threat. The long postponement of these polls has bred impatience, and the declaration of a public holiday could inadvertently encourage indifference. For some, it may seem convenient to treat January 15 as a day off, rather than a day to exercise franchise. That would be a mistake as each vote carries weight. Every ward lost to negligence strengthens entrenched interests and weakens accountability.


Maharashtra’s municipal elections offer citizens a rare opportunity to assert control over the daily workings of their cities. These contests are a chance to endorse public service over political lineage and to reward performance over pedigree.


The councils elected this week will influence who governs these spaces, who sets priorities and who allocates resources. For voters, staying home is a dereliction of duty. Participating is an assertion of power. Remember that civic democracy is local, immediate and consequential. Voters must not treat voting day as a day to lounge at home but as the day to claim their voice.


The ballot is your tool. So, wield it wisely by showing up and making your presence felt. Ensure that this election is not merely an event, but a verdict.

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