Sachin Tendulkar hails women's Lord's Test as golden moment for cricket
Synopsis
Fifty years after women first played a 40-over ODI at Lord's, India won the inaugural women's Test at the same ground — and Sachin Tendulkar was there to call it a 'golden moment'. With Yastika Bhatia scoring the venue's first women's Test century and Kranti Gaud taking a five-for, the match produced history on multiple fronts before a combined crowd of 37,846.
Key Takeaways
Sachin Tendulkar described the inaugural women's Test at Lord's as a 'golden moment' for cricket after India beat England .
Yastika Bhatia became the first woman to score a Test century at Lord's Cricket Ground .
Kranti Gaud claimed her maiden five-wicket haul in red-ball cricket at the iconic venue.
The match drew a combined attendance of 37,846 across four days.
Tendulkar noted the first women's ODI at Lord's was played in 1976 , nearly 50 years before this Test.
Tendulkar credited Jay Shah and the ICC for pay parity and structural support that enabled the milestone.
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar called the inaugural women's Test at Lord's Cricket Ground a 'golden moment' for the sport on 14 July, after watching India claim a historic victory over England at the Home of Cricket. Tendulkar, who addressed the Harmanpreet Kaur-led squad ahead of the final day's play, said the occasion marked a defining milestone in the growth of women's cricket.
Tendulkar's Tribute to a Historic Occasion
Speaking in a BCCI video, Tendulkar drew a direct line between the past and the present, noting that the first women's ODI at Lord's was played back in 1976 — a 40-over contest — and that it had taken nearly 50 years for a women's Test to be staged at the same venue. 'I've always considered Test cricket to be the pinnacle of cricket. So, I think it's a fantastic occasion, a golden moment in women's cricket, I would say,' he said.
Tendulkar also acknowledged the institutional support that made the moment possible, crediting the International Cricket Council (ICC) and noting that former BCCI secretary Jay Shah had championed pay parity for women's cricket in India some years ago — an initiative he said had directly contributed to this landmark. 'Today to see women's Test match here at Lord's, it's heartening,' Tendulkar added.
Personal Memories at Lord's
Returning to a ground steeped in his own history, Tendulkar recalled his first visit to Lord's as a 14-year-old with the Star Cricket Club in 1990, when he stood opposite the pavilion for a team photograph. Just two years later, he was sitting in the same dressing room as an India international. 'That transition happened very quickly and to be here in the same balcony where India lifted the World Cup, what can one ask for?' he reflected.
Historic Firsts for Yastika Bhatia and Kranti Gaud
India's victory also produced two landmark individual achievements. Yastika Bhatia became the first woman to score a Test century at Lord's, while Kranti Gaud registered her maiden five-wicket haul in red-ball cricket at the iconic venue. Tendulkar was emphatic about the significance of those firsts. 'There will be many great performances, many more victories, new records, but these names will always be the first ones to be there. Fantastic achievement of both of them,' he said.
Record Attendance Signals Growing Appetite
The four-day contest drew a combined attendance of 37,846 — a figure that visibly impressed Tendulkar. He described the turnout as proof of an expanding fanbase and insisted the sport's journey is only getting started. 'This is just the beginning. I'm sure there are bigger things to happen in store for us,' he said. This comes amid a broader global push by cricket boards to invest in women's Test cricket, with the ICC expanding the format's calendar in recent years.
Point of View
ICC scheduling, and board investment. The 37,846 attendance figure matters because it answers the commercial sceptics who long argued women's Tests couldn't draw crowds. Bhatia's century and Gaud's five-for are not just personal milestones — they are the kind of marquee moments that build the next generation of fans. The question now is whether this remains a one-off spectacle or becomes a regular fixture on the international calendar.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Sachin Tendulkar say about the women's Test at Lord's?
Tendulkar called it a 'golden moment' for women's cricket, noting that nearly 50 years had passed since the first women's ODI was played at Lord's in 1976. He praised the ICC and Jay Shah for their role in advancing pay parity and creating the conditions for this milestone.
Who scored the first women's Test century at Lord's?
Yastika Bhatia became the first woman to score a Test century at Lord's Cricket Ground during India's historic victory over England in the inaugural women's Test at the venue.
What was Kranti Gaud's achievement in the Lord's Test?
Kranti Gaud registered her maiden five-wicket haul in red-ball cricket during the match, making her one of two Indian players to record a historic first at Lord's in this contest.
How many people attended the inaugural women's Test at Lord's?
A combined attendance of 37,846 was recorded across the four days of the match — a figure Tendulkar described as 'fantastic' and a sign of bigger things to come for women's cricket.
Why is the women's Test at Lord's considered historically significant?
It was the first-ever women's Test staged at Lord's, one of cricket's most iconic venues. The match produced two landmark firsts — Yastika Bhatia's century and Kranti Gaud's five-wicket haul — and drew nearly 38,000 fans, reinforcing the case for expanding the women's Test calendar.
