"Try accepting criticism" - Fans erupt after Mithali Raj comes up with epic response to X user on ODI 'mindset'
Former India Women’s captain Mithali Raj came up with an epic response to an X user on Sunday, October 1. She trolled the user for commenting on her mindset regarding piling up runs after batting first in the 50-over format.
The X user had earlier quoted her statement alongside former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen on the micro-blogging site.
For the uninitiated, women’s cricket is entirely different from men’s cricket and the average total is usually below as compared to the men’s game where a 300-run total has been the new normal.
India Women have so far crossed the 300+ total only on four occasions, thrice under the captaincy of Mithali Raj, including their highest-ever ODI total of 358/2 vs Ireland in 2017.
New Zealand Women (four times) and Australia Women (once) are the only teams to cross the 400-run mark. England Women (378/5 vs Pakistan) and West Indies Women (368/8 vs Sri Lanka) also have the highest ODI team totals, as compared to India.
Here’s how things unfolded:
An X user wrote:
“Mithali: ‘India would look to get 280’, Pietersen: ‘Nothing less than 350.’
Mithali responded:
“The only ‘mindset’ reflected in this tweet is yours.”
Fans on X came up with mixed reactions to Mithali Raj’s quote. One user wrote:
"He just quoted your statement, but this tweet clearly reflects your mindset."
Here are some of the other reactions:
Mithali Raj’s career in numbers
Mithali Raj has played 232 ODIs, scoring 7805 runs at an average of 50.68, including seven centuries and 64 half-centuries. Her career strike rate was 66.19.
She is the all-time leading run-scorer in the 50-over format, while England's Charlotte Edwards is placed second with 5992 runs in 191 ODIs.
The right-handed batter has also played 89 T20Is, amassing 2364 runs at a strike rate of 96.33, including 17 half-centuries.
In Tests, Raj represented India in 12 Tests, scoring 699 runs, including one ton and four half-centuries.
Raj, meanwhile, is also the most successful India Women's Test and ODI captain. The 40-year-old led India to three wins (out of eight) and 89 victories (155 matches) in Tests and ODIs, respectively. She guided the Women in Blue to the 2017 World Cup final against eventual champions England, who won by nine runs.
In T20Is, Raj is the second-most successful skipper with 17 wins in 32 games, only behind Harmanpreet Kaur, who has led India Women to 57 victories in 100 T20Is so far.
Mithali Raj, who retired in June 2022, was appointed as the mentor of the Gujarat Giants during the inaugural Women's Premier League earlier this year.