Indian wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia created cricket history on July 12, 2026, by becoming the first woman to score a Test century at Lord’s in London. The 25-year-old left-hander struck 113 off 158 balls, including 14 fours, in India’s second innings during the first-ever women’s Test staged at the iconic ground. Her maiden Test hundred helped India declare at 341 for seven and set England a target of 457.
India went on to dismiss the hosts for 186 on July 13, sealing a commanding 270-run victory. The landmark innings marked a remarkable return for Bhatia following an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, surgery and months of rehabilitation. While Kranti Gaud became the first woman to enter the Lord’s Test honours board after taking 5 for 37, Bhatia later joined her with a century that added another historic chapter to the venue’s record books.
From Baroda Cricket to the International Stage
Born on November 1, 2000, Yastika Bhatia is a left-handed batter and wicketkeeper who represents Baroda in domestic cricket. Known for her ability to build an innings and adjust her scoring rate according to the match situation, she progressed through domestic and India A cricket before breaking into the senior national set-up.
Bhatia made her international debuts across all three formats during India’s tour of Australia in 2021. Her One-Day International debut came on September 21, followed by her Test debut in the day-night match against Australia on September 30. She made her Twenty20 International debut on October 7.
In her third ODI, Bhatia scored 64 as India defeated Australia and ended the hosts’ record 26-match winning streak in the format. She was subsequently selected for India’s squad at the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup and represented the country at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games later that year.
Her role in the Indian set-up has involved competition for wicketkeeping and batting positions, but her technique and ability to construct longer innings have remained important parts of her game. Before the Lord’s Test, Bhatia had not scored a century in international cricket. Her 113 in London was therefore both her maiden international hundred and her first Test century.
🗣️ 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙨 @YastikaBhatia's is one for the ages 💯
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) July 13, 2026
Relive the journey to her historic feat in a special chat with @mandhana_smriti 🤍
By @jigsactin | #TeamIndia | #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/TnbsuBF5PF
ACL Injury, Surgery and a Difficult Rehabilitation
Bhatia’s historic innings came after a prolonged spell away from international cricket because of a serious injury to her left knee. She suffered an ACL injury in 2025 and underwent surgery, beginning a lengthy rehabilitation process that kept her out of major competitions, including the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup and the 2026 Women’s Premier League.
Speaking about her rehabilitation after returning to international cricket, Bhatia described the physical challenge of rebuilding her injured leg. “Those who undergo ACL surgery, the whole muscle of that leg goes away. We have to build everything from scratch,” she said.
She also spoke about the frustration of rehabilitation when visible progress was difficult to find. “There were days when nothing was happening. No progress was visible,” Bhatia recalled, adding that continued support helped her keep showing up until improvements became noticeable.
Following her Lord’s century, Bhatia credited her family, teammates, coaches, trainers and rehabilitation support for helping her return to international cricket. The achievement carried particular emotional significance because of the months spent recovering and rebuilding her strength.
Her comeback had already begun to gather momentum before the Test. In May 2026, Bhatia marked her international return with her maiden T20I half-century against England. Weeks later, at Lord’s, she produced the biggest innings of her international career.
A Maiden Hundred on a Historic Stage
India began their second innings at Lord’s with a first-innings advantage of 115 runs after scoring 285 and dismissing England for 170. Bhatia resumed on 39 on the third morning and gradually took control of the innings.
She reached her hundred in 145 balls, taking a single off Issy Wong in the first over after lunch. Bhatia eventually fell for 113 from 158 deliveries, having struck 14 boundaries. Her innings formed the centrepiece of India’s 341 for seven declared and helped stretch the overall lead to 456.
The timing and pace of her innings also served India’s wider match plan. Bhatia later explained that the team wanted to score quickly enough to leave sufficient time for the bowlers to take ten England wickets.
Her century placed her on the Lord’s Test honours board. However, the distinction of becoming the first woman on that Test honours board belonged to India fast bowler Kranti Gaud, who had taken 5 for 37 in England’s first innings. Bhatia and England spinner Sophie Ecclestone later joined Gaud on the board during the same landmark Test.
India’s bowlers then completed the job. England, chasing a record target of 457, were dismissed for 186. Sneh Rana took 4 for 42 in the second innings, while Gaud added two more wickets to her first-innings five-for. Deepti Sharma shared the final wickets with Rana as India completed a 270-run victory.
Why Bhatia’s Lord’s Century Matters
The significance of Bhatia’s achievement extends beyond her individual score. The match, which began on July 10, was the first women’s Test ever played at Lord’s, despite the ground’s long history of staging international cricket. Women had previously played limited-overs internationals at the venue, but a women’s red-ball international had never been held there.
Bhatia therefore became the first woman to make a Test hundred at Lord’s because this was the first opportunity for women cricketers to play a Test at the ground. Her achievement is historic, while also highlighting how limited opportunities in women’s Test cricket have been.
The match attracted a record women’s Test attendance of 37,846 across three-and-a-bit days, according to reporting from the ground. Yet the future of women’s Test cricket at Lord’s remains uncertain, with no immediate regular programme of red-ball matches at the venue.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has repeatedly expressed her desire for more Test opportunities. After the Lord’s victory, she said: “Hopefully, we will get 10 more Test matches and we can keep performing.”
The milestone is therefore both a celebration of Bhatia’s resilience and a reminder of the importance of opportunity. Her name is now on the Lord’s honours board after a career-threatening injury forced her to rebuild her strength and return to elite cricket. But the historic nature of the century also reflects how long women waited to play a Test on one of cricket’s most famous grounds.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Yastika Bhatia’s century is a powerful reminder that sporting milestones are rarely built in a single afternoon. Behind her 113 runs were surgery, rehabilitation, periods of limited progress and a network of family members, teammates, coaches and support staff who helped her return to the field. Her journey underlines the value of patience, collective care and institutional support when athletes face career-threatening setbacks.
At the same time, the first women’s Test at Lord’s arriving only in 2026 deserves deeper reflection. Talent cannot create history without opportunity, and women cricketers need consistent access to Test matches, quality facilities and cricket’s most prestigious stages. Bhatia has earned her place in Lord’s history; the responsibility now lies with cricket’s administrators to ensure such moments are not rare exceptions. How can the sport build a stronger and more regular future for women’s Test cricket so that the next historic century is celebrated for its brilliance, rather than its rarity?
