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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.

India housing market outperforms global peers: Knight Frank

India’s residential housing market continues to outperform most global peers, demonstrating resilience amid easing interest rates and an uneven global recovery, according to Knight Frank’s Global House Price Index Q3 2025 and India Real Estate: Office and Residential Market – H2 2025 reports.


Globally, annual house price growth strengthened modestly to 2.4 per cent in the third quarter of 2025 as major central banks pivoted towards monetary easing. Against this backdrop, India emerged as one of the strongest performers, ranking 10th worldwide with a 9.6 per cent year-on-year rise in residential property prices.


India was also the only Asia-Pacific market to feature in the global top 10, significantly outperforming the global average and underlining the strength of end-user-driven demand.


Turkey topped the global charts with nominal price growth of 32.2 per cent year-on-year, although real prices remained marginally negative due to high inflation. Other strong performers included North Macedonia, Portugal, Bulgaria and Hungary, largely driven by supply constraints and sustained demand in select European markets.


Knight Frank’s data shows that residential sales across India’s top eight cities remained steady in 2025 at over 348,000 units, with the second half of the year recording the highest sales volumes since 2013. Despite an increase in unsold inventory, largely due to the launch of higher-value projects, market health indicators remained stable. The quarters-to-sell ratio stood at a balanced 5.8 quarters, indicating sustained absorption.


Price growth was broad-based across major Indian cities. The National Capital Region led the pack with a sharp 19 per cent year-on-year increase, followed by Hyderabad at 13 per cent, Bengaluru at 12 per cent and Mumbai at 7 per cent.


According to the report, this upward momentum reflects strong demand in the premium and mid-to-premium segments, supported by cumulative interest-rate cuts, benign inflation and rising household incomes.


A significant structural shift in buyer preferences continued through 2025. Homes priced above Rs 1 crore accounted for nearly 50 per cent of total residential sales, highlighting growing demand for larger, better-quality homes in well-located developments. Developers, in response, have moderated new launches, focused on execution and offered targeted financing incentives rather than resorting to price corrections, helping maintain sales momentum.


Commenting on the outlook, Shishir Baijal, International Partner, Chairman and Managing Director of Knight Frank India, said India’s housing market continues to stand apart in an otherwise uneven global environment. “The combination of strong economic growth, easing financial conditions and a decisive shift towards end-user-led demand has created a more mature and resilient residential cycle. As we move into 2026, we expect the market to be defined by stable absorption, selective price appreciation and disciplined supply, rather than speculative excess,” he said.


Globally, emerging and select European markets dominated the upper end of the price growth rankings in Q3 2025, while several mature markets continued to lag. Price declines persisted in parts of Northern Europe and East Asia, underscoring the uneven nature of the global housing recovery.


Looking ahead, Knight Frank expects a cautiously improving outlook for global housing markets. The broad pivot towards rate cuts is easing borrowing costs and supporting buyer sentiment, but real price growth remains under pressure in many countries due to lingering inflation.


“Nominal growth has edged higher again as central banks pivot towards cuts, but real gains are still hard-won. To see firmer growth into 2026, policymakers will need to maintain an easing stance while inflation continues to retreat,” said Liam Bailey, Global Head of Research at Knight Frank.


With supportive global monetary conditions and robust domestic fundamentals, India’s residential sector is well positioned to sustain its relative outperformance in the period ahead, the report noted.

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