'Aapko cricket chodni padegi': Indian icon Mithali Raj reveals shocking reason for not getting married (WATCH)
Former Indian women's cricket captain Mithali Raj has opened up about the personal and professional challenges she faced during her illustrious career in a recent interview with Ranveer Allahabadia on his podcast.
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FollowFormer Indian women's cricket captain Mithali Raj has opened up about the personal and professional challenges she faced during her illustrious career in a recent interview with Ranveer Allahabadia on his podcast. The cricket legend, who turns 41 today (December 3), shared startling details about why she never got married, revealing that at one point, her groom-to-be demanded she quit cricket to focus on family and children.
Raj recalled a conversation with her then-partner when she was leading the Indian national team. The man insisted that after marriage, she would have to leave cricket and take care of the family, saying, “Aapko cricket chodni padegi (You’ll have to quit cricket) because after marriage you’ll have to look after the kids.”
Despite this pressure, Raj remained committed to her passion for cricket, continuing to pursue her career and eventually making the decision not to marry. "I was the current India captain then, and I knew I couldn’t give up something I had worked so hard for," she shared.
The 41-year-old also revealed that there had been secret relationships among men and women cricketers, acknowledging that she wasn’t unaware of such instances. “There have been [secret relationships]. I will not deny that,” she said candidly.
Raj further spoke about the turning point in her career, when she considered retiring after the 2009 World Cup. At the time, she was grappling with the lack of opportunities for women in cricket and wondered if there was a future in the sport. “In 2009, I thought it’s done. I said, ‘Ye World Cup khel ke aa jati hoon (I will leave cricket after the World Cup).’” However, the immense appreciation she received after the tournament became a catalyst for her decision to continue playing.
“This appreciation was a very big factor in an athlete’s life. We always see male cricketers getting it. So, when I got it, I thought, ‘What’s the hurry?’ I’ve played so much for this,” she explained. “I called my mom and said, ‘I don’t want to get married now. Let me play for another two years.’”
Mithali also reflected on the struggles she faced as a woman in sports, sharing how physical challenges like PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) and menstruation affected her performance. She revealed an early incident when she was only 13 years old, during her first senior World Cup camp in 1997, where she felt out of place and considered quitting. “I wanted to come back home,” she confessed, describing the loneliness she felt at the time.
She also recalled a difficult moment during the 2009 World Cup when she had to drop a player due to her menstrual cycle, a topic that was not openly discussed in sports circles. “For a long time, it was very difficult to share it with the support staff,” she said.
Raj also touched on the issue of sledging during her playing days, particularly during an Indo-Pakistan match in Bangladesh. While batting, she was verbally abused by an opponent, an experience she described as crossing boundaries. "After two overs, she crossed me and just hit my hand. This was the first experience for me," she shared, highlighting the intense mental and physical challenges female cricketers face on the field.
WATCH: Mithali Raj reveals shocking details on marriage, career and challenges in interview with Ranveer Allahabadia
Mithali Raj turns 41: A look at former Indian captain's career
Mithali Raj is widely regarded as one of the greatest female cricketers of all time, holding the distinction of being the only woman to score more than 10,000 runs in international cricket. Over the course of her illustrious career, she played 12 Tests, 232 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 89 T20 Internationals (T20Is), accumulating a remarkable 10,868 runs. Her runs came with the aid of 8 centuries and 68 half-centuries, showcasing her consistency and skill across formats. Raj's ability to adapt her game to different formats made her a formidable player and a role model for aspiring cricketers worldwide.
As captain, Mithali Raj led the Indian women’s team with great success, securing 89 wins in 155 ODIs, a testament to her leadership and strategic acumen. Under her guidance, India reached the final of the 2017 Women's ODI World Cup, marking a historic moment for Indian women's cricket. In the T20I format, Raj also steered the team to 17 victories in 32 matches, further solidifying her legacy as a dynamic and effective leader. Her leadership was marked by calmness, tactical brilliance, and an unwavering focus on team development, helping elevate Indian women's cricket to new heights.
After retiring from international cricket in 2022, Mithali Raj transitioned into a mentoring role, serving as a mentor and advisor for the Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Her wealth of experience and cricketing knowledge has been invaluable to the team, as she continues to contribute to the development of women's cricket in India. Through her post-retirement role, Raj remains an influential figure in the sport, inspiring the next generation of female cricketers and playing a key part in the growth of the women’s game in India.
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