Mithali Raj's parents recall her journey to cricketing greatness
What’s the story?
Mithali Raj is easily the most iconic name in Indian women’s cricket and the staggering numbers she has accumulated in her career so far means that she will go down in history as one of the greatest women cricketers ever.
Despite being a country obsessed with the Gentleman’s Game, the truth was rising to the top was not easy for someone from the opposite gender and Mithali Raj’s parents opened up to CNN News 18 about the struggles she endured on her way to ultimate success.
Leela, Mithali's mother, recalled how those close to her used to reprimand her for allowing her daughter to pick up the willow.
"How can you allow you daughter to play cricket? What if she gets an injury on her face, who will marry her? That time anyone who heard about a girl who was playing cricket raised questions," she said, reflecting on the plethora of questions she faced on a regular basis.
"I never bothered about these comments. I supported her decision. Dancing or cricket, for us her interest was most important.”
Mithali’s father Durai Raj said that his daughter was always a courageous one and recalled one incident which proved the case.
“Once Mithali was playing with boys without a helmet. She got injured and got 4 stitches on her face. (The very) Next day, she was on the field again for the match," says Durai Raj.
In case you didn’t know...
Regarded as the Sachin Tendulkar of Women’s Cricket, Mithali Raj has been a household name in Indian cricket for a long time now and one of the superstars in the women’s game.
She is currently in England as the skipper of India women’s national side who are looking to clinch their first ever World Cup title and have made a good start to the tournament so far with victories over England, West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in their four matches.
Extra Cover: ICC Women's World Cup: Analysing the rise of Mithali Raj since her debut
The details
Though not as much as their male counterparts, Women’s cricket gets a lot of coverage nowadays but aspiring to be a women’s cricketer is not something that is fully accepted even now.
Now 33, Mithali Raj’s struggle was far more greater during her time but luckily for her, she had parents who stood by her side and did not prevent her from fulfilling her desire to pick up the game.
Mithali’s father recalled how it was during the little time that he used to spend playing cricket with his daughter during a cricket camp her brother was enrolled that she took an interest in the game.
Raj’s friend Jyoti Prasad spotted her talent and there was no looking back for Mithali as she propelled herself to greatness with full backing from her parents whose only advise to their daughter was to give her best on the field.
What’s next?
Having already broken a couple of records during the World Cup opener against England on June 24, when the Indian captain not only became the first woman to score seven consecutive ODI fifties but also now holds the record for most fifties in women’s ODIs, Mithali Raj is on the brink of yet another world record when she takes the field for the clash against South Africa on Saturday.
She is just 34 runs shy of replacing England’s Charlotte Edwards as the leading runs scorer in women’s cricket ever having scored 5959 runs from 181 matches so far in an international career spanning almost 18 years.
Author’s take
Despite the numerous records that she has broken during her career and those set to be broken as well, Mithali Raj’s greatest contribution to Indian cricket will be inspiring a number of women to take up the sport despite the social stigma associated with it.
It is incredible to see the support she has received from her parents and let’s hope that all aspiring women cricketers carry forward the spirit the same way Mithali has done for India for so many years.