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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.

The Unsung Hero of 1971: General Jacob and India’s Martial Supremacy

General Jacob

December 16, 1971, is a day that forever altered the course of South Asian history, marking the culmination of India’s triumph in the 1971 India-Pakistani war and the creation of Bangladesh. On this day, India achieved a victory that restored its martial confidence on the world stage as a formidable military power. At the heart of this victory was a moment of unparalleled significance: the surrender of 93,000 Pakistani soldiers in Dhaka, immortalized by the iconic photograph of Pakistani General A.A.K. Niazi handing his pistol to Indian Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora.


While the spotlight has often shone on the charismatic leadership of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw and the figure of General Aurora, one crucial individual remains largely overlooked — General J.F.R. Jacob. The role played by Jacob, a man whose actions were instrumental in turning a strategic stalemate into a resounding victory, deserves greater recognition. Without his decisive actions and iron resolve, the humiliating defeat of Pakistan may never have come to pass, and the war could have concluded in an UN-brokered ceasefire, allowing Pakistan to avoid the full consequences of its defeat.


The irony is palpable. Just six years earlier, in the 1965 war, India found itself at the gates of Lahore, poised for a historic victory, only to be halted by international intervention. Pakistan, with its propaganda machine in overdrive, proclaimed a victory despite the fact that Indian forces were on the cusp of success. The celebrations in Pakistan on September 6 as their ‘Liberation Day’ only serve to underscore the false narrative of triumph.


But December 16 was different. That day, the surrender at the Ramna Race Course in Dhaka confirmed India’s unequivocal victory. In stark contrast to Pakistan’s manufactured claims of victory, the image of Niazi’s surrender to Aurora sent shockwaves through Pakistan, triggering riots as the population grappled with the reality of their humiliation. No amount of propaganda could rewrite the narrative captured in that photograph, which spoke volumes about India’s martial prowess. Today, India stands proudly at number four on the Global Firepower Index, a testament to its formidable military capabilities, an ascent that owes much to the confidence instilled in the armed forces by leaders like General Jacob.


In his memoirs, General Jacob recalls the dire situation in the Eastern Sector: with only 3,000 men 30 miles from Dhaka and Niazi commanding 26,400 inside, a UN-sponsored ceasefire threatened India’s gains. At this crucial moment, Manekshaw called, directing Jacob to go to Dhaka and secure the surrender.


Jacob’s resolve was unshaken, despite knowing that the glory of the surrender would likely go to his superior, General Aurora. He was determined to see this victory through, not just for the military but for the country’s pride and the international reputation of India. Jacob’s professionalism and selflessness stand as a shining example of Indian military leadership. While Manekshaw could have easily taken the surrender himself, he chose to let General Aurora, as the commander of the Eastern Command, claim that honour. Jacob, though aware that history would remember someone else, played a pivotal role in laying the groundwork for the surrender.


Upon reaching Dhaka, Jacob was met with resistance. Niazi and his commanders were prepared for a ceasefire, not a surrender. Jacob, alone and surrounded by hostile officers, remained calm under pressure. He demanded that Niazi read and sign the Instrument of Surrender, giving him 30 minutes to decide. Jacob’s words were blunt: if Niazi refused, he would have no choice but to hand over the Pakistani prisoners to the Mukti Bahini, a feared Bengali liberation force that had already reached Dhaka. Jacob knew that this was a gamble; despite his small force, he had to secure the surrender or risk losing everything.


Even after 30 minutes of tense silence, Jacob’s confidence never wavered. He entered Niazi’s office and, when he received no response to his request for a decision, he took the silence as an acceptance. His next move was decisive. “You will surrender in the open at the Ramna Race Course,” he told Niazi, further demanding that the Pakistani troops provide a guard of honour.


The surrender, when it finally took place at 4:30 PM was more than just a military victory—it was a moment of national pride for India. As 500,000 Bengalis cheered the arrival of a new nation, the humiliation of Pakistan was complete. The events of that day marked not just a military triumph but the birth of Bangladesh and a reaffirmation of India’s place as a rising power in the world.


General J.F.R. Jacob, though not widely remembered in the same breath as Manekshaw or Aurora, was the key to this victory. His strategic foresight, unwavering confidence, and deft handling of the surrender secured a victory that has echoed through the annals of history. The events of that momentous day remind us that military triumphs are not just about the battlefield but about leadership, timing and the courage to seize the moment. Today, as we commemorate Vijay Divas, let us remember General Jacob, the unsung hero whose actions ensured that India’s victory was not just military, but absolute.


(The author is a political commentator and a global affairs observer. Views personal.)

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