Yastika Bhatia, fresh off a remarkable comeback with a maiden Test century at Lord’s, thinks the most valuable thing her long injury layoff provided her was not just another chance to play for India, but the belief that she can recover stronger from any setback.
Patience, persistence, and unflinching faith in the process, she claims, have transformed a difficult period in her career into one that has left her more confident than ever.
Yastika Bhatia was sidelined for 18 months due to an ACL injury, missing the home ODI World Cup in 2025 and WPL earlier this year. He returned to international cricket in the T20I series against England in May.
“Patience and resilience is what this journey taught me during the rehab,” Yastika Bhatia stated during an interaction. “Even if you can’t see the end result, you have to stay to the process. To make a return, you must believe in yourself.
My family, coaches, trainers, and physios at COE were all supportive. They had established a strong support system. I trusted myself. Through this path, I have gained confidence in myself, and any failures or problems I meet will serve as fuel to propel me forward even farther.”
Even after returning to international cricket after a long absence, the journey was not easy. Bhatia played all three games against England at No. 3 and scored one fifty, but at the T20 World Cup, she managed only 41 in three innings while batting in various positions before being left out of the Asian Games squad.
She regarded this moment as another test of patience, and thanked the team management, captain Harmanpreet Kaur, and coach Amol Muzumdar for speaking openly and supporting her through the uncertainty, before a Test against England allowed her to find her true potential.
“During this critical phase, the Indian team has been extremely supportive of me. Amol sir and Harman had contacted me…They backed me in this scenario, and I was given the opportunity to play in the Test match.
I could manufacture a hundred. It was also quite helpful to me. I have the whole support of the Indian team. “If I do well, I’ll get a chance.”
Throughout that time, Yastika Bhatia found strength in the Bhagavad Gita.
During her rehabilitation, she found that focusing on acts rather than outcomes helped her stay detached and devoted to the process. “I read the Gita where Karma is the main thing,” she explained.
“We need to keep working. We don’t have to worry about the outcome, but we must keep working. We must have an objective attitude toward the outcomes. So, I believe that procedure is very important.”
Yastika Bhatia recounted her Lord’s hundred, saying she had divided the innings into smaller milestones. After returning to 39 overnight on day three, her immediate goal was to bat through the morning session before focusing on the century.
Even after reaching the 90s, she stated that she remained committed to her naturally aggressive game. However, when the landmark finally arrived, emotions took over.
“When that moment arrived, I was really emotional. I remembered what had happened to me over the last three years… This path does not belong to one person. Everybody who supported me and believed in me deserves credit for that.”
The Lord’s century may have marked the end of one comeback, but Bhatia, 25, sees it as the start of the next one. Sachin Tendulkar, whose advise to “stay humble and stay hungry” she wishes to carry with her, was among those who thanked the Indian squad after the triumph.
“I’m also looking forward to the next phase.” “It is exciting just to be on the pitch,” she stated.
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