Yastika Bhatia returned to her hometown of Vadodara this week carrying a distinction no woman batter had claimed before — a Test century at Lord's, the first ever by an Indian woman at the Home of Cricket. The knock, central to India's historic 270-run victory, came at the end of a journey that included an ACL injury, surgery, nearly 18 months on the sidelines, and an extended rehabilitation spell in Bengaluru.

The Emotion Behind the Hundred

Yastika described the moment of reaching three figures at Lord's as one that mirrored a deeply personal, spiritual experience. Two days after returning home, she visited the Gurudev Dutt temple in Vadodara — and the feeling that washed over her there brought the century flooding back.

'That feeling of thanking God on seeing them there — I got that kind of feeling when I scored a century. Two days ago, I went to Gurudev Dutt temple and stood there to thank God. The feeling that came at that time was just the same. It was a very emotional moment to hit the century because of whatever I have gone through in the last 2-3 years; I am grateful to my family, who have been a pillar of support for me throughout my career. These are the moments that I remember,' she said at a virtual press conference organised by the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) on Saturday, 18 July.

This comes after Yastika had stood at Mahakaal, one of India's most revered temples, before her international comeback in May 2025 — a moment of quiet prayer before stepping back onto the field after a long absence.

The Honours Board Motivation

The ambition to inscribe her name on the famous Lord's Honours Board did not arrive on a whim. It was seeded weeks earlier by head coach Amol Muzumdar, who mentioned the Honours Board to the squad before India's T20 World Cup game against Australia — the match that ended India's campaign.

'When we came to play a T20 World Cup game against Australia, Amol sir said your name could be mentioned on the Honours board if you score a century or pick five wickets. That was a motivation that all the players had at the back of their minds,' Yastika recalled.

On the morning of day three, resuming on 39, she set herself a simple target: survive the morning session and then add another fifty — something she had done before in Test and international cricket. The names of Don Bradman and Dilip Vengsarkar — each appearing on the board multiple times — served as further inspiration as she waited to bat.

Partnership with Mandhana and the Shared Journey

A significant portion of the century was built in partnership with Smriti Mandhana, who fell narrowly short of a hundred of her own across a brilliant two-innings display. Yastika described watching Mandhana bat from the other end as a 'dream come true.'

Notably, Mandhana had undergone a similar injury before the 2017 ODI World Cup, and she offered Yastika perspective on what the rehabilitation journey can mean for a cricketer's growth. 'She told me that it's like a turning point in my career as well, because you learn so many little things about cricket and life in this rehab journey, once you go through surgery,' Yastika said. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur also repeatedly told Yastika during rehab that the team was looking forward to having her back.

The Family Behind the Comeback

Yastika's ACL injury was sustained during India's preparatory camp for the 2025 ODI World Cup in Visakhapatnam. The recovery kept her away from India's World Cup triumph at home and the WPL 2026 season. Through those months, her mother Garima stayed with her in an Airbnb in Bengaluru for roughly six months, cooking and managing daily life while Yastika focused on rehabilitation. Father Harish — whose original dream was for his daughters to pursue sport — held the fort at home with sister Josita, now a doctor who once played cricket herself.

Between the end of the T20 World Cup and the Lord's Test, Yastika reset with an impromptu three-day family trip to Scotland, visiting historical sites including a castle. During rehabilitation, she also drew sustenance from reading the Bhagavad Gita, its counsel on focusing on action rather than outcome helping her stay mentally grounded through the long recovery.

A Call for More Women's Test Cricket

Yastika was unequivocal in echoing calls — including those made by Harmanpreet at the post-match presentation — for an expanded women's Test calendar. 'Yes, I totally agree with Harry di. There should be more women's Tests. We enjoy playing Test cricket as a team. When we were young, there was no white ball — there was only a red ball. So, we grew up playing with the red ball, and it is a core memory for everyone's childhood,' she said.

With her name now on the Lord's Honours Board and a landmark victory behind her, Yastika has given Indian women's cricket a milestone to build on — and herself every reason to want more of these days.