India wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia etched her name into cricket history on Sunday by becoming the first woman to score a Test century at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground in London during the one-off Test against England. The elegant left-hander reached the milestone with a composed and authoritative innings, marking a memorable return to the longest format after missing India's previous two Test matches.
Resuming Day Three alongside Smriti Mandhana, Yastika displayed remarkable patience and temperament against England's disciplined bowling attack. After Mandhana departed for a well-made 70 early in the morning session, the responsibility of anchoring the innings fell on Yastika, who responded with a knock of the highest quality. Her innings helped India strengthen their grip on the match as the visitors steadily extended their lead beyond the 350-run mark.
The 24-year-old approached the landmark with calm assurance. She went into the lunch interval unbeaten on 99 after India had progressed to 250, leaving spectators eagerly awaiting the historic moment. Soon after play resumed, Yastika completed her maiden Test hundred in style. Facing Issy Wong in the 68th over, she guided a full delivery outside the off stump through the covers for a single, bringing up the landmark on the final ball of the over.
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The achievement sparked emotional celebrations at Lord's. Yastika acknowledged the applause by raising both her bat and helmet, while her teammates rose to their feet in the dressing room to salute the historic innings. She then bowed on the pitch in a symbolic gesture after securing a coveted place on the Lord's Honours Board, reserved for players who achieve significant milestones at the historic venue.
The century also placed Yastika in distinguished company. She became only the second Indian left-handed batter, across both men's and women's cricket, to score a Test hundred at Lord's after Sourav Ganguly's celebrated 131 on his Test debut in 1996. In addition, she became only the second Indian woman, after Kranti Gaud, to earn a place on the Lord's Honours Board during what is the first women's Test to be staged at the famous ground.
Yastika walked in after Sophie Ecclestone dismissed opener Shafali Verma, who had earlier shared an 88-run partnership with Smriti Mandhana. She settled in quickly, combining solid defence with fluent stroke play to frustrate the England attack.
The left-hander brought up her half-century from 86 deliveries before accelerating her scoring on the third morning. Confident against both spin and pace, she used her footwork effectively against Sophie Ecclestone and Mady Villiers, while taking advantage of any width or short-pitched deliveries offered by Lauren Filer. Her elegant cover drives, controlled cuts and well-timed pull shots ensured India maintained the momentum throughout the innings.
As she closed in on three figures, Yastika remained composed despite the mounting anticipation. She began the post-lunch session with consecutive boundaries off Issy Wong to move to 99 before a brief period of tension followed with a few dot balls. Refusing to be rushed, she finally found the gap through the covers for a single to complete a superb 145-ball century.
The landmark innings not only put India in a commanding position in the match but also secured Yastika Bhatia a permanent place in the history of Lord's, making her the first woman to score a Test century at the 'Home of Cricket' and adding another memorable chapter to Indian cricket's rich legacy at the iconic venue.
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