“My first tournament was when I was 10 years old; I left home for the first time then.”
At a tender age of 10, Mithali was representing the State at the Under 16, traveling to places, playing the sport along with her team mates, but no family around. She happily rejoices her first outing for the sport, “My first tournament was when I was 10 years old; I left home for the first time then. ButI’ve had amazing seniors, they have taught me everything, how to fold and pack, how to take care of yourself, how to tune into the radio channels- they were my family when my parents couldn’t be around.” But then there is the opposition team, they took to no leniency towards anyone. “It’s a tough sport at the end of the day, competition is everywhere. They look at you as an opponent, no one takes into consideration the age of the competitor on the field, and everyone plays to win.”
“World Cup 2005 was my first outing as a captain; initially, I did have self-doubts.”
Leading the Indian team to an event as big as the World cup, with ex-captains and senior players under you is a huge responsibility. With uncertainty and anxiety building up during the mega event, Mithaliremembers the team dynamics as being extremely healthy and congenial. “World Cup 2005 was my first outing as a captain; initially I did have self-doubts. I did not have any experience as a captain before this. I was very lucky with the kind of seniors that I had, the team got along good too. The efforts paid off as we were runners up in the World Cup that year and also the very first Asian team to enter the finals.”
“Cricket is where your endurance, agility and your strength is tested. In season and offseason training differs in this sport.”
How hard you work during the off-season is what pays off during the in-season, when you’re playing matches. Straining your body during a tournament is never right, all your energy and endurance should be used on the batting field.“I don’t restrict myself with regard to food since I’m in good shape. But as far as fitness is concerned, we are always on our toes. There are no breaks in a sportspersons life; you work towards your next game. Cricket is where your endurance, agility and your strength is tested. In season and offseason training differs in this sport.” An avid lover of mutton and sea food, she is a true blue south Indian with her taste buds wanting to venture into the spicier routes.
“As a woman cricketer, I have struggled so much and I wouldn’t want to be represented as anyone else but me.”
Mithali explains rightly as to how even though it’s a matter of high standing being known as the ‘Tendulkar of women’s cricket’, on the flip side it brushes aside all the struggles she has undertaken to be a woman cricketer. “Initially when they said that, it was a huge honor for me. No sportsperson in our country has reached those milestones that Tendulkar has. So if people relate to me as him, then that says a lot. But on the contrary, as a woman cricketer, I have struggled so much and I wouldn’t want to be represented as anyone else but me. For so many years, I have given my time, sweat and blood to create my own individual identity.”
“Records are meant to be broken, and they are never planned.”
In a test match, as a vice captain of the team, with one batsman short, the responsibility dawned on her to not let the shortage affect the team’s overall performance. “All I wanted to do was just play throughout. I didn’t know I would be nearing a record. I wanted the team to be in a better position at the end of the game. And thinking of the same, I broke the world record. Records are meant to be broken, and they are never planned.”Mithali scored a marvelous 214, breaking the record of the world’s highest individual scorer and she is continuing to raise the bar.