Yastika Bhatia recalls Mandhana's words of encouragement following Lord's heroics
What's the story
Yastika Bhatia has credited Smriti Mandhana's words of encouragement for her remarkable comeback with a maiden international century. The wicketkeeper-batter scored a sublime 113 off 158 balls in the one-off Women's Test against England at Lord's. This was Bhatia's first Test century and made her the first woman to achieve this feat at the iconic venue.
Injury recovery
A remarkable comeback for Bhatia
Bhatia's century was a remarkable comeback after a long injury layoff. She had torn her left knee ACL during a training camp last year, which required surgery in October. The injury kept her out of India's successful home ODI World Cup campaign and this year's Women's Premier League. However, she made her international return during the England tour in May and scored her first T20I 50 on debut after an 18-month gap.
Motivational support
Mandhana's words of encouragement
After her innings at Lord's, Bhatia revealed how Mandhana, who had suffered a similar ACL injury in 2017, kept her motivated during rehabilitation. "I had a conversation with her and she just looked at me and said that this is going to be a turning point in your career," Bhatia said. She added Mandhana told her that after an injury, one learns so much through rehab and cricket.
Reassurance
Vital partnership between the 2
Bhatia admitted she was unsure about her future during the rehabilitation process but Mandhana's reassurance gave her confidence. "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. One day your time will come,'" Bhatia said. The two also put on a vital 73-run stand for the second wicket before Mandhana was dismissed early on Day 3.
Dream realization
'Unbelievable' hundred for Bhatia
Bhatia described her hundred as something she couldn't have imagined six months ago when she was still recovering from surgery. "It's unbelievable because six months ago I was in a very different place. If you had told me then that I would have my name on the honors board, I wouldn't have believed it," she said. The wicketkeeper also recalled how returning behind the stumps became an emotional milestone in her recovery journey.