Kranti Gaud turns dream into reality, etches her name on Lord’s honours board with historic fifer

Turning her own words into reality, Kranti Gaud ensured her name will forever be etched on the iconic Lord’s honours board after producing a sensational five-wicket haul against England in the one-off Test.

Just days before stepping onto the field at the Home of Cricket, the 22-year-old had spoken about every fast bowler’s dream of seeing their name on the historic honours board. By the end of Day 2, she had done exactly that, becoming the first woman in history to earn a place on the prestigious Test honours board at Lord’s.

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In a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) before the match, Gaud had spoken about what the landmark would mean.

“The Lord’s Honours Board is very famous because the name of the person who picks five wickets is noted on the board. We are also very excited to take five wickets and get our name on the board,” she had said.

. . ✨

Kranti Gaud lived her Lord’s fairytale to the fullest #TeamIndia | #ENGvIND | @HomeOfCricket pic.twitter.com/YshcnjIEn4

— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) July 12, 2026

The young pacer then produced a career-defining spell, claiming 5-63 as India bowled England out for 170 to take a crucial first-innings lead. The performance made Gaud the first woman in history to have her name inscribed on the prestigious Lord’s Test honours board.

The landmark moment was captured by the BCCI as Gaud carefully wrote her name on the board while her family watched via video call. India captain Harmanpreet Kaur also congratulated her family before teammates and support staff gathered to applaud the historic achievement.

Creating lasting memories as the 1️⃣st woman to have her name etched on the Test honours board at Lord’s

, , ft. Kranti Gaud #TeamIndia | #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/SUWTqEmL6p

— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) July 12, 2026

Gaud’s five wickets came through the dismissals of Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and Lauren Bell.

The spell also saw her become the youngest Indian woman fast bowler to claim a five-wicket haul in Test cricket, surpassing Jhulan Goswami’s previous record. She is now only the third Indian woman pacer after Goswami and Gargi Banerjee to register a Test five-for, and the first Indian woman fast bowler to do so since Goswami’s twin five-wicket hauls against England in 2006.

‘My happiness knows no bounds’: Kranti Gaud’s coach Rajiv Bilthare

Gaud’s historic performance drew an emotional response from her longtime coach, Rajiv Bilthare, who described the achievement as every coach’s dream.

“Every player dreams of playing at Lord’s, and every coach dreams of seeing their student play at Lord’s. Kranti Gaud has not only played at Lord’s but has also delivered such a magnificent performance. To take five wickets at Lord’s and create a record is an extraordinary achievement.

“Today, my happiness knows no bounds. I hope she continues to perform even better, keeps progressing, and establishes herself as one of the leading fast bowlers in the game,” Bilthare said in a video shared by Star Sports.

Gaud’s brother also celebrated the milestone, congratulating both the young pacer and the Indian team while expressing hope that India would complete the job by sealing victory in the one-off Test.

Made a promise. Kept her word
And made her brother & family incredibly proud

Kranti Gaud reflects on a historic day as she becomes the first woman to etch her name on the Lord’s Honours Board ✒️ – By @jigsactin #TeamIndia | #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/DsUaPtQuAV

— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) July 12, 2026

India ended Day 2 in a commanding position at 154/1, holding a 269-run lead heading into the third day’s play.