Yastika— the leftie who is right up there

That day is still fresh in memory. Because that innings is fresh in memory.

The winter was setting in at Raipur. The Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium, some 20 kms away from the city, looked more imposing than usual as it was virtually empty. There were hardly any spectators for the Senior Women’s T20 Challenger Trophy back in 2022.

It was a pity that Yastika Bhatia’s unbeaten 99 for India-D against India-C was watched only by a few. It was a masterclass in T20 batting. She was technically correct, played proper cricketing shots, chose the right balls to hit, and struck at a rate of 162.

The only thing she got wrong was counting the balls: otherwise, she would have completed her century. She may have missed the hundred by just one run, but those who watched that innings may not have forgotten it in a hurry. It remains one of the very best in the domestic game over the last few years. Yastika, it was obvious, would go far.

She may have taken her time, but she has gone far. All the way to the Lord’s honours board, in fact. The 25-year-old became the first woman to reach there by scoring a Test century.

The hundred consisted of all those elements which the Raipur innings had: technique, lovely shots, and ability to choose the right balls to hit. Of course, the occasion was bigger. It was a Test match, that too a historic one — the first-ever women’s Test at cricket’s more revered venue. The bowling was much stronger: the Laurens — Bell and Filer — with their seam speciality, another quick in Issy Wong and spinners in Sophie Ecclestone and Mady Villiers.

Crucial performance

Yastika’s 113 helped India declare its second innings with the bowlers assured of four sessions in their bid to bundle England out. They needed only two and Indian women’s cricket recorded one of its greatest triumphs of all time — a Test win at Lord’s by 270 runs.

It was the greatest moment in Yastika’s professional life. “The best is yet to come,” she would say. But, this one will remain special for several reasons, and we are not just talking about the Lord’s honours board. This was her first-ever century for India. It came after a terrible ACL injury and the long, difficult rehabilitation process.

Shortly after the Test, in which she also kept wickets, Yastika looked back at that tough period. She was honest and spoke at length. Her face and eyes told what she had gone through. “I started from scratch after the injury,” said the southpaw. “For the first two months after the surgery, I took total rest. From there, I had to come back. All the muscles in my left leg had been lost in those two months. So after that, I had to start afresh.”

The rehabilitation stage began afterwards. “Each muscle you have to train for… the muscles around the knee,” she said. “And then slowly there would be progress. Not in one or two days, surely. It was very frustrating to miss out on big tournaments (including the ODI World Cup that India went on to win at home).”

Yastika, however, remained confident. “I had the belief in myself that I could come back from this injury,” she said. “The people around me also helped me keep a very positive frame of mind. I was able to do rehab one day at a time.”

What did she first do when she finally got to the ground at last? “I was keeping wickets. I just did catching practice, there was no batting; I was very happy. That day, I was like a little kid smiling the whole day. I was glad that I could keep after four months. Those moments are priceless; I felt the love of the game again. Whatever setbacks you have, how deep that setback is… the love for the game, the belief in yourself — those are very, very crucial,” she said. “That will help you to come out from rock bottom and rise once again.”

Support system

The top-order batter is grateful to those who stood by her during those difficult days. “A lot of people have helped me behind the scenes,” she said.

“My family — my mother, father and sister — they have been the biggest support. My coaches and trainers back home and also the support staff and teammates here in England… they have all backed me. And those at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE), where I underwent the rehab… the surgeons, doctors who took care of my surgery. All of them played a crucial role. My comeback wouldn’t have been possible without them.”

Then there is a familiar name — Smriti Mandhana, the fellow stylish left-hander with whom Yastika shared a crucial second-wicket partnership in the second innings at Lord’s. Smriti, who had also gone through the trauma of an ACL injury, had some advice for her teammate.

“I had a conversation with Smriti. She just looked at me and said: ‘This is going to be a turning point in your career,’” Yastika recalled. “She said that because she had faced similar injuries or setbacks. She had learned so much about everything… little, little things in rehab and in cricket. It completely changed her. She said that my entire mindset, too, would change.

“She said: ‘Your game will go to a different level.’ She could sense that. We had a few chats during my rehab; the other players were at a camp. I was a little nervous about how things would go. But she said: ‘Keep doing your hard work. You are a sincere kid. You are a good human. Just keep working hard and your time will come one day.’”

That day did come. Smriti was there at Lord’s to watch it from the sidelines and had been with Yastika out in the middle for a large part of her innings.

It was lovely to watch both of them bat together. Smriti is among the most stylish batters in women’s cricket. Yastika, too, is elegant and can play gorgeous strokes.

And Yastika loves batting with Smriti. “You learn so much from her,” she said. “Her mindset is very good: she always thinks positively and takes on the bowlers, but in a subtle way. I always look up to her. We have good camaraderie and I enjoy batting with her.”

A moment to remember

Looking back at her historic century, Yastika said: “It is unbelievable because I was in a very different place six months ago. If you had told me that I would have my name on the honours board at Lord’s, I wouldn’t have believed it. But I was taking small steps to that place and I have worked really hard. My family’s support has been there since the beginning.”

More than her hundred, she wanted to ensure India had enough runs on the board. “We had to make a big score at a good rate so that we would have enough time to take England’s 10 wickets,” said Yastika. “That was on my mind. I always play my best when I play for the team. I never think about my own score. Playing for the country is a matter of pride. You must have seen my celebration; I kissed the flag on my helmet. I am proud that I could do it for my country.”

She could serve the country with both gloves — the batting as well as keeping ones — for years to come. Her class has to be acknowledged, and she deserves a long run.

Interestingly, Yastika is not part of the squad for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, starting September 19. She is the only player to be dropped from the team that played at the T20 World Cup in England, where India was knocked out in the group stage.