A blend of patience and calculated aggression was the cornerstone of India's historic women's Test victory over England at Lord's, head coach Amol Muzumdar said after his team's emphatic 270-run triumph. He reserved special praise for centurion Yastika Bhatia and pace bowler Kranti Gaud, whose standout performances helped script India's memorable win in the first-ever women's Test at the iconic venue.
Gaud claimed seven wickets across the match, while Bhatia's superb century in the second innings laid the foundation for India's commanding victory.
"Yes, you can say it was a perfect game. We batted well, bowled extremely well and fielded even better. It was a complete performance from the team," Muzumdar said during the post-match press conference.
"I wouldn't point to just one factor. We were disciplined with the bat and equally disciplined with the ball. We stuck to the basics of cricket throughout. Our bowlers maintained a controlled line and length, and the aggression was balanced with patience. I think that combination was the key to this victory."
Bhatia's composed 113 off 158 balls in the second innings helped India set England a daunting target of 457. The hosts were eventually bowled out for just 186 in 62.5 overs.
Calling Bhatia's innings one of the highlights of the match, Muzumdar said, "It was a special knock. To score a century at Lord's is something every cricketer dreams of, and it's an innings she and the entire team will cherish for a long time."
The coach also praised Bhatia's resilience after battling multiple injuries over the past few years. "What impressed me even more was the way she fought back from those setbacks. She has had a difficult time with injuries, but she stayed committed to the game. Her shot selection was excellent, and she paced the innings beautifully. It was a joy to watch."
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Gaud was named Player of the Match after returning figures of 5/37 in the first innings and 2/54 in the second. "Kranti's control was exceptional. She consistently bowled in the right areas and rarely strayed from the ideal length. Apart from the odd delivery, she was always hitting the right channel, something we have been emphasising for a long time. She deserved the rewards for maintaining such discipline," Muzumdar said.
Asked whether India had specifically worked on its batting before the Test, Muzumdar said the team had complete faith in its batting line-up. "We have always believed batting is one of our biggest strengths. We have world-class players like Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, Shafali Verma and, of course, Richa Ghosh. They are all capable of delivering at the highest level."
On Bhatia's role as India's wicketkeeper in the longest format, the coach made it clear she remains the team's first-choice option whenever available.
"Whenever Yastika has been fit and available, she has been our first-choice wicketkeeper, and she showed exactly why in this match. She also took some excellent catches behind the stumps. Going forward, that remains the plan. She made her Test debut against England at the DY Patil Stadium a couple of years ago." Speaking about the possibility of introducing a Women's World Test Championship, Muzumdar expressed his support for the concept.
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