Who would have thought — that out of all the batters, Yastika Bhatia would become the first ever Test centurion in a women’s Test, at Lord’s. But the 25-year-old battled out for 145 deliveries on day 3 of the India-England Test, to notch her maiden Test ton, at the iconic venue. Throughout her innings, she looked calm and composed, hit 13 boundaries in her innings, to bring up her 100, that she would remember for a very long time.
Yastika Bhatia slams a ton for the ages
Coincidentally, this happens to be Yastika Bhatia’s first-ever international ton across formats for India. And this has come at a time, when her place in the side was being questioned, after a poor Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. She batted confidently, without any hiccups, and is now the 11th Indian woman batter to get a Test 100.
She joins the elite group of players like — Shanta Rangaswamy, Sandhya Agarwal, Shubhangi Kulkarni, Anju Jain, Hemlata Kala, Mithali Raj, Thirush Kamini, Punam Raut, Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, to score a Test ton for India. Out of these Sandhya has four to her name — the most by any Indian.
Kranti Gaud’s fifer lifts India too
Yastika has also become the first Indian woman after 2024 — to score a Test ton. The last feat had come against South Africa, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, where Shafali and Smriti wreak havoc and added 292 for the first wicket. Coming back to this India vs England contest, it has been iconic and historic for India in more than one ways.
Earlier in the match, pacer Kranti Gaud had become the first bowler to bag a fifer in a Test at Lord’s. She too found her way up on the honor’s board. In the process she also became the youngest Indian pacer to bag a fifer in Tests. That just shows, how clinical the Indians have been in both the departments.
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