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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.

Tariffs and Tribulations

Trump’s trade wars promise pain today for a distant and uncertain gain.

Trump

Donald Trump’s latest broadside, sweeping tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, lands a punch in the gut to global markets and American consumers alike. The move, cloaked in the language of nationalism, fulminates against fentanyl, illegal immigration and economic injustice. The president, now fully unshackled in his second term, has declared a national emergency, citing the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs of 25 percent on Canada and Mexico and 10 percent on China.


Trump’s protectionist crusade is not new. Higher tariffs on Canadian lumber and Chinese pharmaceuticals have invited swift retaliation. Mexico and Canada have announced countermeasures, while China plans to challenge the move at the WTO. The last tariff war (2018–19) drove up costs for U.S. firms and consumers, and history may repeat itself. Automakers like Volkswagen warn of supply chain disruptions, while energy producers brace for instability.


Trade wars are neither good nor easy to win. The 2018-2019 tariff battles resulted in higher costs for American businesses and consumers, with studies showing that the bulk of the financial burden fell on U.S. firms rather than foreign exporters.


For American households, the effects will be immediate. A new round of tariffs means higher costs on everything from household appliances to food. Trudeau’s retaliatory tariffs on $155 billion worth of U.S. goods including peanut butter, beer and wine will send ripple effects through the agricultural sector. Meanwhile, Mexican and Chinese countermeasures could squeeze American manufacturers, forcing them to pass costs onto consumers.


The prime justification for these tariffs is their purported link to the fentanyl crisis. The Trump administration insists that Mexico and Canada are complicit in the opioid epidemic, citing a “growing presence” of fentanyl production in both nations. Yet, experts in law enforcement and public health overwhelmingly disagree.


Critics disagree with the White House’s assertion that fentanyl has killed tens of millions of Americans. At the peak of the opioid crisis in 2022 and 2023, total overdose deaths, from all drugs combined, reached around 114,000 annually - a national tragedy, no doubt, but nowhere near the apocalyptic scale Trump describes.


Trump’s weaponization of emergency powers to enact these tariffs is already facing legal scrutiny. The International Emergency Economic Powers Act was never intended to be a trade cudgel. Beyond its domestic consequences, Trump’s tariff blitzkrieg is straining America’s global alliances at a precarious moment. The European Union has said it would respond firmly should Trump extend his tariff war across the Atlantic.


For India, the tariff war presents a complex scenario in form of both risks and opportunities in the evolving global trade landscape.


On the one hand, the disruptions in U.S.-China trade relations could allow India to position itself as an alternative manufacturing hub, particularly in sectors like pharmaceuticals, electronics, and textiles. Multinational companies looking to diversify supply chains away from China may consider India, especially given New Delhi’s efforts to incentivize domestic production under the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.


On the other hand, India could also suffer collateral damage. The global slowdown triggered by trade wars could dampen demand for Indian exports, particularly in sectors like IT services, auto components, and chemicals, where India depends on both China and the U.S. for raw materials and markets.


Trump has long accused India of being a “tariff king” and has previously targeted Indian exports. However, New Delhi has been taking steps to improve trade optics. Recent budgetary revisions have reduced peak customs duty rates from 150 percent to 70 percent, signalling an attempt to counter criticism from Washington.


While India has not been directly affected by the latest round of U.S. tariffs, its diplomatic strategy will be crucial. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has been strengthening ties with Washington, particularly on defence and technology cooperation. If Trump were to escalate tariff measures against other trading partners, India may seek bilateral exemptions or leverage its growing strategic partnership with the U.S. to negotiate trade-offs in sectors like semiconductors, clean energy and defence procurement.

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