Mithali Raj
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
Contents |
Records, statistics
A summing up
June 8, 2022: The Times of India
NEW DELHI: The first superstar of women's cricket, arguably the most 'correct' batter in the game, a trailblazer: these sobriquets aptly describe Mithali Raj.
Long before she arrived on to the international scene as a 16-year-old and scored a hundred on debut, Mithali was destined to be a great of the game.
Her cover drives and back foot punches that the cricketing world relished for years, came naturally to her and to add to that flair, she developed a water-tight technique that few could breach.
In terms of longevity, Mithali's 23-year-old international career is also awe-inspiring and rivals Sachin Tendukar's 24-year-run at the top of his game.
Shantha Rangaswamy, who led India to its first ever Test win in 1976, had no hesitation in calling Mithali the best female batter the country has produced.
Mithali began her career long after Rangaswamy played her last game for India but she tracked her career closely as a commentator, selector and a "fan" of her artistry.
"When you talk about batters with the most sound technique. There are only two names that pop into the head: Sunil Gavaskar and Mithali.
"I was commentating during the 2000 World Cup in New Zealand. I saw her bat in the game against South Africa and I was amazed with the technique she possessed. Fellow commentators described it as 'poetry in motion'.
"What is remarkable is that even after 20 years in the business, she remained at the top of her game. To me, she is by far the best batter to have played for the Indian women's team," said Rangaswamy.
Mithali had a defence background with her father serving in the Indian Air Force and probably that was one of the reasons behind the unwavering discipline in her batting.
Growing up, she was passionate about Bharatnatyam but since she could not pursue that dance form further, she brought that nimble footwork into her game.
In domestic cricket, she played briefly for Andhra Pradesh before joining Air India and Railways thereafter.
Former India captain Diana Edulji was at the fag end of her career when she got Mithali into the Railways team. Not only did she play for the strongest team on the domestic circuit, she also landed a proper job as a teenager.
Another former India captain Anjum Chopra, who was a part of the Indian team alongside Mithali on the memorable tour of England in 1999, said there was little doubt about the talent of the 16-year-old even though she did not have the best of times on her maiden trip to the UK.
"She did not do well against England in the two ODIs but in the nets, she was very pleasing to the eye. When we came back, she did well. We had also heard about her performances on the domestic tour, so we all knew about her rare talent.
"And by the time I stopped playing the game in 2012, Mithali had already become a star. Then the watershed moment came in 2017 (when India reached the ODI World Cup final under Mithali's captaincy) , which helped our sport's popularity and Mithali became an even bigger star," said Chopra.
With women's cricket getting under the BCCI umbrella in 2006, Mithali also oversaw the game's fortunes change drastically as an amateur sport got the much-needed professionalism to survive.
From travelling in trains to globetrotting in business class, Mithali was the constant in a rather roller-coaster journey.
As Mithali shattered one record after another, there were also a few lows that came along the way.
Her fallout with head coach Ramesh Powar during the 2018 T20 World Cup in the West Indies, where she was dropped from the semifinal line-up, hastened her retirement in the shortest format. For someone who holds the record for smashing seven fifties in a row, Mithali managed to maintain her staggering consistency levels even till the last tournament she played: the ODI World Cup in New Zealand as she shut the "outside noise" around her strike rate.
There were murmurs of 'all is not well' in the Indian team's dressing room but being the leader of the side, she kept her calm and went on with her business.
She deserved a fairy tale ending -- a World Cup trophy -- for her long service to Indian cricket but it wasn't to be.
1999-2019 Jan
200 just a number: Mithali on world record, February 2, 2019: The Times of India
From: 200 just a number: Mithali on world record, February 2, 2019: The Times of India
Back in 1999, 16-year-old schoolgirl Mithali Raj was simply happy wearing the India colours for the first time and not much changed even after two decades as the coveted milestone of 200 ODIs “is just a number” for the 36-year-old legend. Mithali made her ODI debut against England in Milton Keynes in January 1999 and on Friday became the first woman to complete in 200 matches in the 50-over format. Not to forget, she is the top rungetter in the world with 6622 runs.
“200 is just a number for me but it feels nice to come so far,” India’s ODI captain said after completing a 2-1 series win on
New Zealand soil. “I have seen different stages of (transformation) in women’s cricket across the globe since I made by debut way back in 1999 under IWCC (International Women’s Cricket Council). Coming under ICC, we could see the difference. I am just happy to represent the country for so long,” Mithali said.
For Mithali, it is a surreal feeling that she could continue for so long. “When I started, I didn’t think that I will come so far. Initially, my aim was to only wear the India colours but never did I think that I will continue to play for so long.”
According to Mithali, her only endeavour has been to suit her game as per team’s needs. “When you have a long career, you have different elements and reasoning that comes into factor. But one thing has been to constantly thrive and change my game to suit different conditions, different areas of my game and trying to keep up with the international standards. I have seen joys, highs and lows -- when you have a long career,” she said.
Team flounders in final ODI vs Kiwis
Hamilton: Having already sealed the series, the Indian team put up an ordinary effort with the bat to go down by eight wickets against New Zealand in the third and final ODI here on Friday. Captain Mithali Raj had spoken about the importance of a clean sweep going into the game but her team could muster only 149 after being put in to bat. The White Ferns chased down the target in 29.2 overs.
Deepti Sharma was the only one to make a significant contribution for India, top-scoring with 52 off 90 balls. India collapsed to 149 all out in 44 overs after being at 117 for four in the 35th over.
The venue proved to be a testing one for both of India’s men and women’s teams. Having sealed the series 3-0, the Rohit Sharma-led side too suffered a heavy loss on Thursday after being bundled out for 92.
2018
First Indian to score 2000 T20I runs
HIGHLIGHTS
India cricketer Mithali Raj has become the first batter from the country to score 2000 runs in T20Is
Mithali is the seventh woman batter to score 2,000 runs in T20Is
Mithali broke the record for the most ODI appearances by a woman cricketer
India cricketer Mithali Raj has become the first batter from the country to score 2000 runs in T20I cricket. She achieved the feat during India's Women's T20 Asia Cup match against Sri Lanka on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur. Mithali has now scored 2015 runs in 74 T20Is with the help of 14 half-centuries. She has a decent average of 38.01 with a highest score of 76 not out.
The 35-year-old scored 23 as India beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets in a crucial encounter. India, who suffered a shock defeat to Bangladesh in their previous match, put up a much improved performance as they restricted Sri Lanka to 107/7. They overhauled the target with seven wickets remaining and seven deliveries to spare.
Mithali is the seventh woman batter to score 2,000 runs in T20Is, a list which is topped by Charlotte Edwards (2,605), followed by Stafanie Taylor (2,582) and Suzie Bates (2,515).
When it comes to men's T20I, the list is led by Martin Guptill (2271) followed by Brendon McCullum (2140) and Virat Kohli (1983).
The BCCI and ICC took to Twitter to congratulate Mithali on her achievement.
Mithali recently broke the record for the most ODI appearances by a woman cricketer when she surpassed former England captain Charlotte Edwards (191 ODIs). She has now 194 ODIs to her name, scoring 6373 – the most by any women cricketer in the format - at an excellent average of 50.18.
2018, Nov
Mithali Raj is now the highest run-getter among Indians (both men and women’s T20Is). Mithali now has 2283 runs from 85 matches while Rohit Sharma, who leads among men, has 2207 runs from 75 matches. Mithali is fourth in the list of top T20I scorers, behind Suzie Bates (NZ), S Taylor (WI) and C Edwards (ENG) — all women.
2021: 10,000 runs
Mithali scales Mount 10,000 Consistency The Key To ODI Skipper’s Sheer Longevity Manuja.Veerappa@timesgroup.com
I dream. I work hard. I grind, until I own it.” That Twitter profile bio has pretty much been Mithali Raj’s code in an international career spanning 22 years.
On Friday, the 38-year-old skipper of India’s 50-over team made another record her own when she flicked South African medium-pacer Anne Bosch through square leg for a boundary. Those runs, in her 212th ODI, took her past 10,000 runs in international cricket, the first Indian woman cricketer to achieve the mark Mithali, who made her international debut in June 1999 against Ireland, picked consistency as the key to her longevity
2021, July: highest run-getter in women’s cricket
July 4, 2021: The Times of India
India captain Mithali Raj became the highest run-getter in women’s cricket across formats, overtaking former England skipper Charlotte Edwards. Mithali achieved the feat during the third and final inconsequential ODI against hosts England while chasing 220 for a consolation win.
The talismanic India batter got to the milestone with a boundary down the ground off Nat Schiver in the 23rd over. Mithali now became the world’s most prolific batter in women’s internationals, overtaking Edwards’ 10,273 runs. India Women had already lost the three-match ODI series to England Women. PTI
Details
Gaurav Gupta, July 5, 2021: The Times of India
From: Gaurav Gupta, July 5, 2021: The Times of India
See graphic:
Mithali’s Records and statistics, as in early July 2021
In the twilight of an epic career, as she eyes one last hurrah at next year’s ODI World Cup, India skipper Mithali Raj says her hunger for runs remains the same as it was 22 years ago and she is trying to add “new dimensions” to her batting.
Mithali cracked an unbeaten 75 off 86 balls to earn India a consolation four-wicket win in the third and final ODI against England at Worcester. Along the way, she became the highest run-getter in women’s international cricket across formats, going past England captain Charlotte Edwards’ tally of 10, 273 runs. Mithali now has 10,337 runs in her kitty, with 7,304 runs in ODIs. No other batter has more than 6,000 runs in women’s ODIs.
It was her third consecutive half-century in a series where her colleagues have struggled, with the next highest score being 44 by Shafali Verma in the second ODI.
Recalling her more than two decade-long journey, the legend said: “The way things have gone, it wasn’t an easy journey. It had its trials and challenges. I always believed that trials have a purpose,” she said at a post-match virtual presser.
The 38-year-old made her debut at Milton Keynes against Ireland on June 26, 1999. Interestingly, she was exactly as old as the great Sachin Tendulkar-16 years and 205 days-when she played her first international game.
Along the way, there have been controversies, and phases where she got a feeling that she was being sidelined, forcing her to think about quitting, but she kept going on. “There were times when I wanted to give up for various reasons but something kept me going and here I am, 22 years of international cricket, but the hunger for runs has never sort of dried up,” she said.
While critics feel she doesn’t bat at the pace which the modern game demands, Mithali is focused on adding more strings to her bow. The way she changed the pace of innings- taking her time to get her eye in before batting freely in the end -in the chase on Sunday was remarkable. “I am still very passionate to go out there, be there in the middle and win games for India. I know there is still room for improvement in terms of my batting and that is something I am working on... There are certain dimensions I would like to add to my batting,” she said.
Having retired from the hustle-bustle of T20 cricket in 2019, Mithali now relishes the role of being the bulwark of the batting, using all her experience to help the team. How well India fare in the Women’s ODI World Cup, to be held in New Zealand from March 4 to April 3, will depend on how she performs. It will be her swansong, and there’s no doubt that she would like to bow out of the international stage with one major trophy, just like Tendulkar did when he played his part in India’s 2011 World Cup triumph.
