The legacy of Mithali Raj

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The 23-year-old cricketing career of Mithali Raj, who was India’s longest serving captain, is one that India will always cherish.

To look at a few numbers, the unstoppable run scorer beat Charlottle Edwards’ 5992 ODI runs, and ultimately went on to achieve a career average of 50.68, second only to Meg Lanning’s 53.13. Even to total the span of her career, would require a player like Jhulan Goswami 2 years, and 200 days more.

Her record of consecutive ODI half- centuries (7 times)is also unchallenged, and she remains the only Indian captain – across all genders – to captain India at a World Cup final twice.

On the personal front, the unassuming cricketer was known for her friendliness, and prone to pranking teammates while on tour, especially Jhulan.

She was also gracious in accepting both the flaws and strengths of other players, the BCCI and herself, and once remarked “Perfection is boring”, at an interview. Her indomitable spirit always strove to do her best and was not known to be involved in any conflict even during periods of low funding and support.

While Mithali Raj could never bring home the most coveted silverware – the World Cup, she has led the way in inspiring the next generation of players, who will. While battling through injuries and striving for the elusive target of gender equality in sport, she remained a prolific team captain and run scorer, in a format that began to be described as “outdated” in the second half of her career.

However, with her retirement, her role in Indian cricket is far from over. Her dedication and understanding of the sport, as well as her impartial nature, could help her function as a vital component of the administrative framework that shapes the sport in the country. It remains to be seen how long Mithali Raj’s innings truly are.