ICC Women's World Cup: Analysing the rise of Mithali Raj since her debut
In a country with a population of over one billion, a land where cricket is considered to be a religion, if you happen to walk down the street and ask a layman to name one player from the Indian women's cricket team, the reply is undoubtedly Mithali Raj.
Such has been the aura of Mithali in the male-dominated sporting culture of the country that whenever anybody visualises women’s cricket, her name is the first thing that comes to mind.
Extra Cover: Stats: Mithali Raj breaks two world records in ICC Women's World Cup opener
Regarded as the Tendulkar of Indian Women’s Cricket, Raj has been the torch bearer of the team and has single-handedly carried the burden of the nation for 18 years. The second highest run scorer in the history of the game, with over 5,500 runs, there are no records that she has left untouched over the course of her career.
Just as the Indian team gear up to face the host nation England in the inaugural match of the ICC Women’s World Cup, there is one player who will be reminiscing all the fond memories of this beautiful nation she first toured as a nineteen-year-old.
Dream Debut
Like any other player, Raj started her professional career at the age of 10 with the sole mission of playing for the country. With hours of tireless practice and years of grinding through first-class cricket, the elegant right-handed batter was handed her One Day International debut against Ireland in Milton Keynes in 1999.
Words fail to describe the joy experienced by the 17-year-old as she donned the national colours for the first time. With determination in her eyes and a sheer grit to perform, she opened the innings for the visitors and ensured that she made this one of the most memorable days of her life.
With a flurry of strokes all around the ground, she scripted a fairytale end to this spectacular outing by recording her first ever hundred in the international circuit. Her exploits with the bat helped the Indian team post a convincing 161 run win over their counterparts.
A historic moment for Indian cricket
Just as she was settling into the team, the teenage sensation notched up another milestone as she registered the highest individual score in the longest format of the game, scoring a scintillating double hundred against England in the second and final Test match of the series at Taunton in 2002.
The innings at Taunton not only proved to be a benchmark for the women's team but it also showcased glimpses of the talent possessed by a 19-year-old. Although the match ended in a draw, it marked the beginning of a glorious era in Indian cricket.
Falling agonisingly short of winning the coveted trophy
Her credentials with the bat resulted in the Jodhpur-born player being assigned the role of leading the Indian team for the Women’s World Cup held in the year 2005 in South Africa. At the helm of affairs, Raj did not show even the slightest sign of nerves as she led the young brigade brilliantly all throughout the tournament.
Her astute leadership skills and batting prowess ensured that the team reached the finals of the mega event for the first time in the history of the sport. Although the side faltered in the final frontier against the mighty Aussies, this edition of the tournament is regarded as one of the best World Cup performances produced by the Indian team.
Despite falling agonisingly short at the final hurdle, Raj was proud of the way her young team competed in the tournament.
A dismal World Cup at home
An illness to Raj in the 2009 edition of the World Cup derailed India’s campaign as she was the mainstay of the batting unit. After a wait of four long years, the prestigious tournament returned in 2013, with Raj again at the forefront of the Indian team.
The tournament, however, did not go according to plan for this champion batter as she failed to guide the team through to the final four of the competition. One of the primary reasons for India’s dismal performance in the World Cup was the lack of the runs scored by the skipper in the first three matches of the tournament.
Despite all the criticism levelled at her, Raj handled matters with aplomb and launched a robust comeback in the last league match of the series against arch-rivals Pakistan at Cuttack by scoring an unbeaten century to help the team get over the finishing line.
History being written in the shortest format of the game
Despite thousands of runs in the international circuit and the experience of competing in high-pressure tournaments, Raj never fails to turn out for her team, Railways, in the domestic circuit.
10th January 2017 will remain in the history books forever as she crafted her way to a devastating hundred in a T20 game against Hyderabad. The magnificent unbeaten century off 66 balls was studded with 13 boundaries and one huge hit over the fence.
This dominant innings at the top of the order ensured that Railways started their campaign with a nine-run win over their opposition. The match-winning century was the first hundred by an Indian player in the shortest format of the game, and it comes as no surprise that the superwoman of Indian cricket was the one who achieved this rare feat.
Gunning for glory in the fifth World Cup
Despite all the runs and records, there is one thing that has eluded Mithali Raj in her illustrious career – the World Cup title. The 34-year-old is currently in the twilight of her career and will hope that the young Indian team perform to their potential and help her lift the coveted trophy this time around.
Also read: ICC Women's World Cup: Reaching semi-finals is our first target, says Indian skipper Mithali Raj
Featuring in her fifth ICC World Cup, Raj will be the vital cog in the batting unit of the Indian team in the upcoming tournament, and her exploits with the bat will determine the fortunes of the side.
Let us hope that the young Indian team give a fitting farewell to the living legend of the women's circuit by winning this high voltage tournament.