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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.

Congress to take out rallies against PM's 'silence' on 'halting' Op Sindoor

  • PTI
  • May 14, 2025
  • 3 min read


New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP of "politicising" Operation Sindoor and said it would take out rallies across the country to question the Prime Minister's "silence" on US President Donald Trump's claims of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and the "halting" of the operation.


Addressing a joint press conference after a meeting of senior party leaders, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh and the party's media and publicity department head, Pawan Khera, said the BJP was trying to make the military action a "brand" for itself when the operation belongs to the armed forces and the country.


The Congress announced that in the coming days, 'Jai Hind' rallies will be held in various states to demand answers from the government and party leader Rahul Gandhi will address a press conference here on Friday.


The Congress made the assertions after a meeting of senior leaders, including former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal, Ramesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Sachin Pilot, among others, at its 24, Akbar Road office here.


Ramesh said a resolution was passed by the party in the meeting.


"It was the third meeting of senior Congress leaders in the last 20 days. A resolution was also passed. Since the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi ji have been talking of unity; they gave full support to the government and welcomed Operation Sindoor," Ramesh said.


"They (Kharge and Gandhi) said we are standing with the government and armed forces resolutely. They expressed support for action against Pakistan. We demanded an all-party meeting, and two meetings were held, but the PM was not present. These meetings were a mere formality," he said.


The Congress president and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha -- Rahul Gandhi -- have written to the prime minister for a special session so that a discussion takes place on the Pahalgam terror attack to send a message of collective resolve.


"It is an occasion to reiterate the resolution passed unanimously on February 22, 1994, on PoK," he said.


The Congress has been raising questions as to why US President Trump made the announcement of ceasefire, which was unprecedented, Ramesh said.


"The prime minister does not say anything on this," he said.


Pointing to media reports, Ramesh said the prime minister was meeting NDA chief ministers on May 25, but non-NDA CMs had been left out.


"The politicisation of Operation Sindoor should not be done. Why is the PM only holding a meeting of NDA chief ministers on May 25? Why not opposition-ruled states and their chief ministers," he said.


"Is this politicisation or not?" he asked.


Ramesh accused the BJP of politicising Operation Sindoor.


"We condemn the politicisation in the strongest terms," Ramesh asserted.


He said the BJP was indulging in "Maximum silence on real issues and maximum politicisation".


"We said again and again and demanded an all-party meeting. PM was not available at any of the two all-party meetings. He did not even make a guest appearance. They were held only for formality," Ramesh said.


"Why does PM not take the country into confidence on what is the role of America. US President Trump has once again stated that he mediated. Why is the PM silent on this?" he asked.


Ramesh said a PM-chaired all-party meeting should be convened and a special session of Parliament should be called.


"On one hand, Kharge ji and Rahul ji are talking of unity, and on the other hand, the PM is silent and not agreeing to come for all-party," he said.

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