'People would taunt me & my family' - Kranti Gaud reflects on inspiring journey from Bundelkhand to Lord's honours board

India women's all-rounder Kranti Gaud reflected on her remarkable rise from a small village in Madhya Pradesh's Bundelkhand region to earning a place on the iconic Lord's honours board after her match-winning performance in the one-off Test against England.

The 22-year-old scripted history by claiming a five-wicket haul in the first innings of the first-ever women's Test at Lord's, earning the Player of the Match award and etching her name on the prestigious honours board at the 'Home of Cricket'.

For Gaud, the milestone marked the culmination of years of perseverance and sacrifice. Hailing from Ghuwara village in Chhatarpur district, she had to overcome societal barriers and constant criticism while pursuing her dream of playing cricket.

Gaud recalled the challenges she and her family faced during her early years.

"People would taunt me and my family, asking why they let a girl play cricket," the 22-year-old said. "I can't describe my feelings as I saw my name go up on the Lord's honours board. My journey from Ghuwara to Lord's feels no less than living a dream,” she was quoted as saying by The Times of India

Gaud's historic achievement has had an impact far beyond the cricket field. According to the youngster, her journey has encouraged more girls from the Bundelkhand region to take up the sport, with nearly 40 girls now actively playing cricket.

She believes her success has helped change long-held perceptions about girls pursuing sports in rural India and inspired parents to support their daughters' ambitions.

"It's a matter of pride that my journey is giving a new belief to parents to place their trust in their daughters and encourage them to pursue cricket," she concluded. 

For the unversed, the Indian women’s team scripted history by winning the first-ever women’s Test match at Lord’s, defeating the English side by a huge margin of 270 runs.