Brendon McCullum sacked as England's red-ball coach

Brendon McCullum has been stood down as England Men’s Test head coach but will continue to guide the white ball teams, ECB said in a statement on Sunday.

“I’m gutted not to be continuing, but I respect the decision. My focus now is on giving everything I’ve got to the white ball teams and helping England keep moving forward,” McCullum was quoted as saying in a release issued by the ECB.

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India wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia believes her “best is yet to come" after she became the first woman cricketer to hit a Test century at the iconic Lord’s stadium, marking an incredible comeback from a career-threatening knee injury last year.

Bhatia struck 113 off 158 before India declared their second innings at the stroke of tea on day three, setting hosts England a massive 457-run target.

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“It’s unbelievable (to become first woman cricketer to score a 100 at Lord’s) because six months ago I was in a very different place and if you would have told me that I would have my name in the honours board I wouldn’t have believed it," Bhatia said after the third day’s play.

“The best is yet come, I have always believed that. But so far it’s really good and I enjoyed my time in the middle. It’s just the beginning, a lot more to come and I am looking forward to that," he added.

She credited her family, teammates and support staff for helping her recover from the career-threatening torn ACL in her left knee that she sustained in October last year. The injury, which needed a surgery, prevented her from competing in India’s ODI World Cup-winning campaign at home.

“A lot of people have been working behind the scenes, my family, my father, mother, my sister they have been the biggest backbone, support. My coaches, trainers back home, the support staff and teammates here, they have backed me.

“Also COE (BCCI’s Centre of Excellence) where I underwent rehab. All of them played a crucial role, it wouldn’t have been possible without them," she said.

Recollecting the tough phase during her recovery period, Bhatia said her love for the game kept her in a positive frame of mind.

“I started from scratch after the surgery. For two months I was in total rest, all muscles of my left leg were lost in that two months, so after that I had to start from scratch.

“Rehab process began after that and slowly, progress happened. So it was frustrating also, missing out on big tournaments and just doing rehab…but at the same time I had belief in myself that I can comeback from this injury," the 25-year-old left-handed batter said.

“People around me also helped me in keeping a positive frame of mind. Whatever setbacks you have but the love for the game and belief in yourself that’s very crucial to make a comeback from rock bottom," she added.

She said she never thought about a century and her only focus was on helping the team win the match.

“I didn’t think of my 100 or anything but on posting a big score at a good rate, so that we have good time to take their 10 wickets, that was in my mind. I always play best when I play for the team. Playing for the country is a matter of big pride for me," she said.

“I was given a clear message play according to the ball, there was no rush from the dressing room, no extra pressure, they were like ‘play whatever you feel best’. The ball was coming better on the bat so I was trying little more and also with wickets in hand, we were in good position," Bhatia added.

Snehasis Mukherjee, London

Heading into Day 4, Team India are just four wickets away from registering a famous win in the historic first-ever Women’s Test at Lord’s against England. However, over the first three days, several players have stepped up on different occasions for the visitors.

On Day 2, it was 22-year-old pacer Kranti Gaud who rose to the occasion and bagged a five-wicket haul, etching her name in the history books as the first-ever woman to feature on the Lord’s Test honours board. A day later, another Indian ensured another place on that honours board; Team India’s wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia.

With a mesmerising 113-run knock, she helped India extend their lead beyond 450. It turned out to be her maiden international century. What a stage to achieve the milestone. With that, she also became the first-ever woman to score a Test century at the Home of Cricket.

Throughout her innings, the one thing that stood out was the way she used her feet confidently against the spinners. Her shot selection was on point, and she stepped out effectively against Lauren Bell despite the movement on offer.

It has been quite an emotional and tough journey for the 25-year-old. After missing last year’s ODI World Cup due to an ACL injury in her left knee, suffered during a training camp, she underwent surgery in October. As a result, she missed the chance to be part of Team India’s historic maiden ODI World Cup triumph and also this year’s WPL.

Ahead of the recently concluded ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, she was picked for the three-match T20I series against England despite not playing any competitive cricket. However, Yastika made the most of the opportunity in the first T20I, scoring 54. She added two more 30-plus scores in the next two matches, finishing as India’s second-highest run-scorer in the series.

Then came the World Cup. She played only four matches, batted just three times (41 runs in three innings) and in different positions, making it difficult for her to settle into a specific role. Even in those opportunities, despite getting starts, she was unable to convert them into big scores. That has been a recurring issue for Yastika over the years and has not helped her cause.

India were then knocked out in the group stage of the recent Women’s T20 World Cup, and when the BCCI announced the squad for the upcoming Asian Games, Yastika’s name was missing. It came as a surprise to many, especially as most of the members of the World Cup squad retained their places.

Her potential and quality of strokeplay were never in doubt. In fact, she is one of the most technically sound batters in the current Indian women’s team. So, this historic century at Lord’s could just be the beginning, as she herself said at the post-Day 3 press conference.

“This is just the beginning. The best is yet to come.”

Another thing that stood out was her fitness. During the T20 World Cup, while she wasn’t making the most of her opportunities with the bat, questions were raised about her fitness. But at Lord’s, despite having India’s primary wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh in the squad, India opted for Yastika.

She batted on Day 1, then kept wickets for 59.1 overs in England’s first innings, followed it up with a historic 113 off 158 balls, and then was back behind the stumps for another 40 overs by the end of Day 3. That spoke volumes about her fitness. Apart from one or two fumbles, she looked agile and extremely sharp behind the stumps. Some of her takes down the leg side were impressive. Under the intense London heat, the way Yastika carried herself throughout the match was commendable.

Reflecting on the horrific injury she suffered, Yastika said: “It’s unbelievable because six months ago I was in a very different place and if you would have told me that I would have my name on the honours board, I wouldn’t have believed it. After surgery, I had two months of complete rest. I lost all the muscle in my left leg and had to start from scratch. Rehabilitation can be frustrating because progress isn’t visible every day, but I always believed I would come back.”

Meanwhile, this Lord’s innings has turned out to be a redemption for Yastika. More importantly, it could and should be a fresh start. She can now aim to become more consistent across formats and establish herself as a key member of the side.

One thing is certain: Yastika Bhatia, who chose cricket over becoming a doctor despite scoring 89% in the science stream in her Class 12 board examinations, would probably never have imagined that one day her name would be written on the Lord’s honours board.

In 2025, during an exclusive conversation with RevSportz, Yastika. She mentioned, “The joy of watching fielders chase the ball after I hit it—that’s what excites me the most.”

At Lord’s, she certainly ensured England’s fielders kept chasing the ball over the 14 fours that she crunched.

After the historic hundred, Yastika also would be happy that she chose cricket as her profession. And perhaps, her journey will become another source of inspiration for many young girls dreaming of playing the game.

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The post Yastika Bhatia turns adversity into history at Lord’s appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.

Indian women’s team pacer Kranti Gaud’s maiden fifer (5-37) on Saturday helped the visitors bundle out England for 170 and secure a commanding 115-run first-innings lead in the ongoing Test at Lord’s.

It also ensured Ghuwara-based Gaud, 22, in only her second Test, became the first woman to have her name etched on the Lord’s Honours Board. All centurions and five-wicket takers have their names etched on the prestigious board.

Rajiv Bilthare

However, Gaud’s childhood coach, Rajiv Bilthare, has revealed that she had considered quitting cricket a couple of years ago. Gaud was just 13 when her father brought her to Sai Sports Academy for coaching in 2017.

“In 2018, Kranti played for the MP U-15 team and thanks to her performances, the MPCA [Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association] gave her a chance in the U-19 team too. However, she struggled from 2022 to 2024 while being part of both, the U-22 and senior women’s teams, as she was not getting a place in the playing XI regularly. She was distraught and returned to home [Ghuwara], and did not come to the academy for 10 days. So, I went to her house to check on her and she said, 'Sir, nothing is going well and I don't want to play.’ She had made up her mind to leave cricket. I convinced her, saying that every player, be it at the state or even international level, has witnessed such phases. I told her sternly that if she is scared then she should not come to the ground, but if she wants to achieve her dreams, I can help her,” Bilthare told mid-day over the phone from Chhatarpur on Sunday.

Bilthare also sought help from MP team coach Bhawna Shrivastava and Chhattisgarh team coach Shweta Mishra to convince Gaud.

“Kranti’s parents, MP team coach Bhawna and Chhattisgarh team coach Shweta also spoke to her and it worked. Kranti worked harder thereafter and made a strong comeback, taking four or five wickets against Bengal in the final to help MP win the Senior Women’s ODI Trophy in December 2024. She has not looked back since,” Bilthare explained.