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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.

Unceasing Religious Crackdown

Updated: Dec 2, 2024

Religious Crackdown

Bangladesh’s financial authorities have directed banks and financial institutions to freeze the accounts of 17 individuals associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), including its former member Chinmoy Krishna Das, for a period of 30 days. The directive was issued by the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU).


In addition to freezing the accounts, the BFIU has requested banks to provide comprehensive account-related information, including updated transaction records for businesses owned by these individuals.


Das, who previously served as ISKCON’s spokesperson in Bangladesh, was arrested at Dhaka earlier this week. His arrest is connected to a sedition case filed against him and others following an incident during an October 25 rally in Chattogram, where a saffron flag was allegedly raised above the Bangladeshi national flag, sparking controversy.


In response to Bangladeshi media reports suggesting otherwise, ISKCON denied distancing itself from Das, reaffirming its support for his rights and advocacy for the protection of Hindus and their places of worship.


Meanwhile, a separate official ISKCON Bangladesh statement refuted accusations linking the organization to violent protests that erupted following Das’s arrest, which led to the death of a lawyer. ISKCON Bangladesh’s General Secretary Charu Chandra Das Brahmachari condemned the baseless accusations, labelling them as part of a malicious campaign designed to discredit the organization and incite social unrest.


The controversy surrounding Das’s arrest stems from allegations that he reportedly disrespected the national flag during a rally in Chittagong that was organized to protest the continued persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh.


The Hindu community in Bangladesh has been faced violent persecution and systemic discrimination for decades, with historical roots dating back to the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.


The 1971 genocide, part of Pakistan’s military campaign to suppress Bengali nationalism, led to the deaths of an estimated 3 million people, mainly targeting Hindus and other minorities. The Pakistani forces, supported by the Razakars militia, engaged in ethnic cleansing, including mass killings, rapes, and the displacement of millions. The atrocities, which began with ‘Operation Searchlight’ on March 25, 1971, forced 10 million people to flee to India. Estimates suggest up to 400,000 Bengali women were raped, many of them Hindu, with some declared ‘war booty’ by Pakistani imams.


The violent repression of the Hindu minority has continued through the decades. In 2021, the Hindu community in Bangladesh faced new waves of violence. A fabricated blasphemy accusation regarding Durga Puja festivities led to attacks on over 80 Hindu temples and widespread property destruction. Hindu women faced sexual violence, and many families were displaced from their homes. The state’s response was inadequate, allowing Islamist mobs to act with impunity.


In recent years, the situation has worsened further. As protests over a controversial quota system escalated this year, opposition forces like Jamaat-e-Islami—an Islamist group with a history of persecuting minorities—have targeted Hindus, compiling lists of Hindu businesses and homes for destruction. With Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government ousted, the minority community faces increased vulnerability. The ongoing cycle of violence reflects an enduring crisis, as Hindus in Bangladesh continue to endure persecution with little recourse for justice.


This history of violence and displacement paints a bleak picture for the future of Bangladesh’s Hindu population, as the community grapples with the loss of homes, the destruction of temples and the ongoing threat of violence under the caretaker government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.

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