Sachin Tendulkar called India’s triumph in the first-ever women’s Test at Lord’s a “golden moment,” and for good reason: Harmanpreet Kaur’s side turned the historic occasion into a statement victory, beating England by 270 runs in a match that married individual milestones with collective grit. Played from 10–13 July 2026 at the Home of Cricket, the one-off Test produced high drama, from Smriti Mandhana’s elegant 83 and Yastika Bhatia’s maiden Test century at Lord’s to Kranti Gaud’s match-defining five-for that etched her name on the iconic honours board.
India posted 285 in the first innings, built on Mandhana’s fluent 83 off 108, Harmanpreet’s 58 and supporting knocks from Deepti Sharma (57) and Jemimah Rodrigues (35). England’s attack, led by Sophie Ecclestone (3/68) and Lauren Filer (2/40), were the top performers for England. Kranti Gaud provided the early breakthrough for India, setting the tone for the innings. England closed Day 1 at 21/1, trailing by 264.
On Day 2, India’s bowlers turned pressure into wickets: England were bowled out for 170, Kranti Gaud’s 5/37 making her the first woman to have a five-wicket haul recorded on Lord’s honours board. Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana and Sayali Satghare all made valuable contributions with the ball as India built a commanding position, declaring their second innings at 341/7 to set England an improbable 457 to win.
Mandhana again led from the front with 70 in the follow-up, while Yastika Bhatia’s composed 113 off 158, the first women’s Test century at Lord’s for India and the second Indian woman ever to appear on that hallowed board, provided the defining middle-order spine. Richa Ghosh’s 50* accelerated the declaration.
England’s lower middle-order fought stubbornly, with Ecclestone producing an all-round display (match figures of 55.2-6-186-8, and a valiant 50 in the fourth innings), but India’s bowlers closed out the game on Day 4 as England folded for 186. Sneh Rana’s 4/42, Sayali Satghare’s tidy spells and Kranti Gaud’s match figures of 7/91 underlined India’s balanced attack. Gaud’s Player of the Match performance will live long in the memory: not just for the wickets, but for the symbolism of her name joining legends on Lord’s record books.
Sachin Tendulkar, who addressed the Indian dressing room before the final day, framed the result in historical perspective. “Feels nice to be walking back on the green again,” he said, recalling women’s milestones at Lord’s and noting how far the game has come in 50 years. “I’ve always considered Test cricket to be the pinnacle; this is a fantastic occasion, a golden moment in women’s cricket.” He also highlighted structural progress: crediting initiatives that advanced pay parity and opportunity for women cricketers.
The crowd of 37,846 over four days signalled public hunger for more red-ball women’s cricket at elite venues. “This is just the beginning,” Tendulkar added, underlining that the match’s real victory is its potential to accelerate visibility, investment and pathways for future generations.
This win belongs to a team and to a moment: Harmanpreet’s leadership, Mandhana and Bhatia’s batting, Gaud’s historic five-for and a collective belief that women’s Test cricket can command the world’s stage. Lord’s now holds new names and new memories, and, as Tendulkar put it, the occasion has turned a milestone into a doorway for bigger things to come.
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