Just over a year ago, Kranti Gaud wasn't even in India's plans. Her name didn't feature in the original long list of 30 players asked to submit their passports for the UK visa. But one spell she bowled to the England-bound squad at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence as a net bowler impressed the team management enough to force a re-think.
Fast-forward to July 2026, and Kranti has etched her name into history at one of cricket's most hallowed turfs. She is the first woman to have her name imprinted on the Test honours board at Lord's - distinction that has eluded some of India's greatest, including Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.
"I sat looking at the honours board in our dressing room for five minutes this morning (Saturday) wondering if I can have my name written up there," Gaud told BCCI.tv after the second day's play. "Then I went down to field. And when I took that fifth wicket, the sense of achievement and the feeling of picking up a five-for was next level."
Gaud, the youngest of six siblings, called her older brother, Mayank in her moment of glory. It was Mayank's love for cricket that rubbed off on Gaud during their younger days. Being the lone bread-winner for the family after their father lost his job in the police force, Mayank ensured Gaud could continue playing without worrying about the family's finances.
"I called my elder brother first," Gaud said. "He's happy. The whole family is happy. People are proud of me in my village. Where I come from, the support I've received, it means a lot. When my family found out a Test is happening here, they knew whoever takes a five-for, their name will be printed on the board. He [brother] asked me 'will you have your name written there?' I said, 'yes bhaiyya.' I'm excited and proud to be the first woman to have her name up there."
Gaud's spell has given India a chance to create history, too - the opportunity to win the first-ever women's Test at Lord's - where women weren't allowed into the long room until 1998. It's also a chance to salvage India's English summer, having endured the disappointment of being knocked out of the group stages of the T20 World Cup for a second successive edition.
Four months ago in Perth, Gaud made everyone sit up and take note of her abilities in a Test where India were thumped inside three days. At WACA, that has still retained some of it's old-world charm for the pace and bounce it offers, Gaud's set up of Ash Gardner leading to her stumps being sent cartwheeling stood out. Having peppered her with a succession of outswingers, she got one to nip back in to whizz past her defence. Gaud's two wickets in the match were no reflection of the menace she could be in swinging conditions.
At Lord's on Saturday, Gaud went a step further. Besides swing, her ability to crank up pace towards the 115kph mark and bowl the wobble-seam ball had the batters hanging back, feeling for her deliveries. Equally impressive was her quick acclimatisation to the unique slope the ground offers, something that has challenged some of the best visiting fast bowlers.
She began by dismissing Tammy Beaumont late on the opening day with a nip-backer that trapped her plumb in front. Maia Bouchier was one of the victims of the wobble-seam delivery that she nicked behind. The blockbuster, though, was reserved for Alice Capsey as she played forward to a full delivery, anticipating it to nip in, only for the ball to hold its line and flatten off stump. This had England in trouble at 47 for 4 in response to India's 285.
Looking at back at her wickets, Gaud was particularly happy with the inswinger that trapped England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt as she played around her front pad. This helped India nip into the lower order and secure a 115-run lead.
"The captain's wicket, that was my favourite," Gaud said. "She had batted for a long time and we needed a wicket. After lunch, to get her was a big wicket for us. I just want to keep continuing the things I should focus on. Follow the same thing that has gotten me success. I just want to keep bowling the same and not do anything extra."
When Gaud picked up the fifth wicket - a stunning catch in the slips by Shafali Verma off a rebound from Sneh Rana - her mind raced back to her roots. The local tournament that brought her into the limelight, and a coach who facilitated that opportunity - Sonu Valmiki, "Sonu sir" for Gaud.
It was Valmiki who first saw a 12-year-old Gaud training and playing with the boys, and inducted her into their local team for a girls under-17 tournament after one of his players fell ill. Gaud not only filled in, but would earn the best bowler award, paving way for her initiation into formal cricket coaching.
After that memorable first match with a leather ball, Goud travelled to Jatara, a town about 70 kilometres away from her home town in Madhya Pradesh, where she did well again. There she was spotted by Rajiv Bilthre, the secretary of the Chhatarpur District Cricket Association (CDCA) and the coach of Sagar Division, who runs the Sai Cricket Academy.
It was no surprise Gaud raised a toast to them in her moment of glory.
"When I took the fifth wicket or whenever I achieve anything big, that tournament from my village comes to mind," Gaud said. "Sonu sir, Rajiv sir, I thought of them first. This is for all of them, and of course for all of India."
It's been a remarkable rise for Gaud over the past 18 months. A viral domestic spell at one of the rarely televised women's matches against Bengal - where she dismissed Richa Ghosh - got her a ticket into the big league with the WPL. A cracking spell as a net bowler to the Indian team earned her that UK visa, paving way for her to become the youngest Indian woman to take a five-for. In November, she was part of India's first-ever World Cup triumph.
Now to convert the special Lord's honours into a famous Test win.