Indian fast bowler Kranti Gaud said getting a place on the Lord’s honors board has been her goal since her debut in the one-off Women’s Test, after her match-winning performance led India to a historic victory over England by 270 runs.Gaud was the best performer with the ball, taking 5/37 in England’s first innings to give India a massive lead of 115 runs. He followed with figures of 2/54 in the second innings as England were bowled out for 186 while chasing a target of 457.Reflecting on the experience, Gaud admitted that the experience seemed unimaginable when he was growing up but became a clear goal once the exams began.“When I was growing up, I never thought it would happen like this. But from the day this Test match started, I told myself that I want to put my name on the honors board,” he said during the post-match presentation.The young pacer said that his success depends on sticking to the basics and relying on the plans given by the coaches.“My approach is very simple. I only think about my line and length. Whatever the coaches tell me, I try to follow that by hitting the same line and length consistently. This is what I think about with every ball.”His five-wicket haul made him one of the few players to inscribe their name on the prestigious Lord’s honors board, a moment he said belonged to his family and mentors as much as it did to him.“I’m very proud, and so is my family. I want to thank everyone – my coaches, my seniors, and everyone who has supported me on this journey.”Gaud also revealed that the Player of the Match award and the stumps of the game will take pride of place in the special category he has created at home.“I have created a small and special museum at home, and this award will go there. I will keep the stump there forever.”India completed a famous victory on the fourth morning as It’s Rana and Deepti Sharma cleaned up England’s slump after the batsmen resumed at 130/6. The comprehensive victory not only marked India’s first women’s victory at Lord’s but also extended the team’s unbeaten record in Test cricket on English soil.
