I don’t know if it is good or bad but all girls are enjoying this phase: Mithali Raj

How would you describe the last few days since returning home to memorable receptions?

I faced a similar situation in 2005 but this is bigger than that. In 2005, only my state government recognised our efforts. Even then, I had a lot of felicitations but they were limited to within the state. Since the matches were not live and we were not under BCCI (Board on Control for Cricket in India), they did not capture people’s interest. It was not this big. Now, it is huge because people watched our matches. People who didn’t follow cricket or who have never seen women’s cricket have started following our matches religiously throughout this World Cup. I just finished a felicitation by my employers, South Central Railway, with all the top officials present. A few who hadn’t seen women’s cricket were interested in watching our matches. It has more to do with the visibility now with the matches being televised. Coming under BCCI, the way prime minister Narendra Modi acknowledged our efforts, they made a huge, huge impact on the players. The whole team is celebrated now.

Also helping the cause was your team starting the tournament with a win against a stronger opponent, England, and following it up with another win against Pakistan in the initial stages, isn’t it?

Honestly, nobody expected us to beat England. But, yes, Pakistan was one game that people put more pressure on us to win, irrespective of other matches. That was one of the matches that had people watching us in the World Cup.

As an international cricketer since 1999, did you imagine getting the adulation that is mostly reserved for the men’s cricket team?

I never gave it a thought as to ‘will I ever be a part of this phase’. It often crossed my mind as to how it will be to be in that position, to experience playing in front of a packed stadium, to play with so much of expectations, when the whole nation is rooting for you. I always wanted to experience putting myself in their position to see how one feels. And with endorsements, what kind of life they would be leading. I had that curiousity, and now I can actually sense it. I don’t know if it is good or bad but I feel all the girls are enjoying this phase.

And how has the experience been?

It really feels nice to be given the attention from the PM, the Railways minister, the sports minister, the BCCI officials and the state CM. The PM gave us close to an hour. In 2005, it was more a formality, where you came, had tea and went. Modi sir was so different. He gave us that personal touch, he interacted with each one of the girls and the support staff. He watched the (final) match, so he knew what happened. After our formal interaction and when we were having high-tea, he was still there interacting with the girls. That was a very humbling feeling. When you are in front of the PM, you always have to be at your best behaviour. But, he never made us feel like that. He was so normal. It was a very different experience, and the girls loved it. 

The Telengana CM was generous enough to acknowledge my individual performance. Now, people know we are runners-up but he said ‘I am rewarding you for your individual achievement’. Usually, CMs are busy and their secretaries give away the rewards. But he was different. He gave a personal touch, addressing my 6,000 runs, the world record. It feels nice when you are given that kind of attention and not just the regular formalities stuff. Sportspersons believe in spontaneity and I love that.

With this kind of attention, how do you and your team-mates stay grounded? You are experienced enough but do you tell your mates not to get carried away?

I am sure they will understand. Probably, I have to tell them that things are now going to be difficult because expectations are very high. People have seen our standards, people know each player’s role in the team and we will be scrutinised. It is even more important to be mentally strong. When you do really well, people will praise you. But everybody will be expecting us to win every match. So, they have to double the work and the win ratio has to be more. If you keep winning, people will stay glued to our cricket. The more you win, the brand of women’s cricket will go higher. More sponsors will be interested to take care of the players. If we can attract more revenue, nothing like that.

Do you think players’ life has changed post the World Cup?

Maybe for somebody as young as Deepti (Sharma) or Smriti (Mandhana), it might. For me, it doesn’t because I have seen it before. The first thing my mom told me after I reached Hyderabad was that I won’t be going out on a two-wheeler. She said: ‘Everybody knows where you stay and when you go out (on two-wheeler), you will be mobbed’. Maybe these kinds of freedom will not be easily available to me. But I will make sure I will continue to have the kind of life I have lived so far in spite of having all these attentions.

Is it true that your parents locked themselves inside the house while watching the final to avoid the media?

(Laughs) That’s what my mom tells me that she had a lot of people coming to the house. My dad wanted to watch me play. He was being disturbed by the regular people coming to the house. They decided to lock the house from outside so that people think they are not at home and that my dad could watch me bat peacefully.

When did they unlock themselves?

Everybody thought we were going to win. Everyone was getting ready with fire crackers to celebrate. My mom heard crackers after our loss outside the house and asked why they were bursting them. They said ‘India lost the match but the team gave a very good fight and played well throughout the tournament’. That was a revelation for me. The whole of India, in spite of losing, was sharing the burden of our loss and was happy that we did well in the World Cup.

Your old team-mate and friend Nooshin said that nobody can guess what Mithali is thinking. Can anyone expect your next move on the field?

I don’t know. But I try to be in the moment, have a lot of plans. When you are on the field as a captain, the mind is always working. You cannot relax at any point of time. You are always focussing on what is going to be the next move, what if it doesn’t work, what if the situation changes and you have to change your plan. Even when I am not playing a match, I am always thinking about the combination. World Cup is a big tournament and I worked really hard to prepare for this World Cup for a year-and-a-half. I wanted everything to work in our favour. I was ready to put in everything I had to ensure India did really well in the World Cup.

Almost everything worked in your favour, didn’t it? After the World Cup, did you feel relieved?

I felt we slipped in the last stretch. But, it happened because of the inexperience of the players. In spite of that, entering the final itself was a creditable job. When we were travelling back, I was sad that we lost another opportunity. There was some sort of hollowness. When you prepare for a tournament and give everything in it, and suddenly when the tournament is over, there is a void. I was thinking I needed to chalk out my schedule so that there is something to work for, something to look up to. Unlike men’s cricket, we have more time to reflect, more time to sulk, more time to enjoy. We don’t have back-to-back series like the men do.

You kept telling that 2017 was the last World Cup for you and Jhulan Goswami. Do you still stick to it or do you desire to play 2021 World Cup, considering everything that followed the runners-up finish?

Actually, 2021 is far-fetched. I can see myself playing for another two or three years. I would surprise myself if I ended up playing the 2021 World Cup. For me, it is important I keep myself fit. If I am confident of my form, then why not? To play in 2021, I have to go through 2018, 2019 and 2020. For me, that is more important than 2021, how I am going to help the team directly qualify for the next World Cup, and not play the qualifiers. Being runners-up in World Cup, you need to maintain that top status, be among the top three teams in the world. For that, you have to play good cricket, gain those points so you get direct entry into the World Cup.

Who do you consider the ideal captain to replace you and take the team to the next World Cup?

I don’t know. I led India from a very young age. Captaincy went parallel to my batting career. As a captain, I had a long stint. It has helped me a lot to evolve as a player. Harmanpreet Kaur has just got T20 captaincy. I am sure she will be a good one-day captain. But, I feel, if they are looking at 2021, they should look at somebody who is going to be the future, who will have a long stint so that the player is not burdened with captaincy and the team is confident with her. This phase is going to be very hard on the girls. Whoever is going to lead will have to take a lot of criticism as well. The person should be of strong personality and someone who can carry the team no matter what the situation is on and off the field. You need a very confident personality. It could be given to somebody who is young and can lead in the next two World Cups, at least.

Now that you have been leading the country for more than a decade and into two World Cup finals, do you feel you want to give up captaincy and enjoy your last stage in international cricket as a player?

I don’t know. I don’t think leading a side reduces the enjoyment level. I have always enjoyed the challenges of leading the side. The only problem with me is that if I am not leading the side, I am completely out of the zone. I will be in one corner to myself and with a book. Obviously, I know my contribution has to be there as a batter. If I am not leading, then my mind doesn’t work. It just goes into the zone. I believe, if I am not leading and playing just as a batter without the tag of captain, that will also have the same amount of expectations and responsibility. I don’t see why I should not be enjoying it, irrespective of whether I am captain or not.

What does it mean to you to be the highest run-scorer in ODIs and being the first to 6,000 runs?

Personally, it means nothing to me. It means a lot to my parents, my coaches and to those who have been following me. It was never in my mind to reach 6,000 runs or break Charlotte Edwards’s record for most ODI runs. It never occurred that it was the most important thing. My parents and coaches used to tell me, ‘For us, you reach 6,000 runs’. I have never had these goals of 5,000 or 6,000 runs. It always mattered that whenever I touch the bat, whenever I walk in to bat, I have to score runs. I have never really thought about where it leads me to. People should remember that whenever Mithali walked in to bat, she always scored runs for the team.

What does batting mean to you? Shantha Rangaswamy said the other day that Mithali could bat even while sleeping...

Batting is something like meditation to me. I cannot sit and meditate to save my life. I have never tried also because I can never concentrate. But, when it comes to batting, I can pledge that I have always focussed. My focus has always been unwavered whenever I am in the middle. It is something that calms me down. I can forget everything when I am batting.

You rarely show emotions, whether the team is winning or losing. How do you manage that?

As a captain, I cannot really sulk. I am constantly thinking about my next move. When it comes to batting or even the team’s result, my dad told me when I was playing under-16, ‘irrespective of whether you score a hundred or zero, your emotions have to be the same. Just because you score a hundred, you throw your bat around and helmet and when you score zero, you have drooping shoulders’. He said to me, ‘irrespective of what the situation is, if you are smiling, you continue to smile. You don’t change because of the situation’. Even today, if I score a hundred or a fifty, you don’t see me very excited. It is just a normal thing. I cultivated this habit when I was young. Even if I want to show emotions, I cannot. 

I was reading Nasser Hussain’s book where there was a picture of him showing his back after he scored a hundred. When I looked at it, I wished I could do that. I told this to Veda (Krishnamurthy). The next game I played (after reading this), I scored a hundred against New Zealand and she told me to show emotions. I said ‘it just doesn’t come’ and I just lifted my bat. She said, ‘you suck’ (laughs). And all the players said, ‘didi, kabhi toh bat utthalo (elder sister, raise the bat at least sometimes), kabhi toh you show some emotions, you have scored a hundred’. Even if I want to, it does not come naturally to me. I don’t want to do something that is not natural and look like a joker on the field.

At a time when women are not playing Tests, and with England and Australia not keen on playing Tests, you want women to play more Tests. Do you really see Tests returning as a prominent fixture?

In terms of marketing, Test match is something that even men’s cricket is losing its sheen. To increase revenue, Test is not the format. T20s and ODIs can market the sport. To see the quality of the players, Test matches provide that. Charm of the whole sport is Test cricket. We have seen the batters and spinners ruling this World Cup. But, I have not seen quality fast bowling. That will happen when you give them the space to bowl. Here, it is limited to 10 overs. Since the pitches are slow, spinners are preferred. So, quality of fast bowlers is coming down. Even among spinners, you don’t have someone who can really turn the ball, or flight it.

Do you miss playing Tests?

I do because the fluctuation in the game is so much, no matter how many matches you have played, it always challenges you as a player and as a captain. Every Test is different with challenges. In one-dayers and T20, you are prepared for the situations, but not for Tests.

Mithali & her love for books

What kind of books do you read?

I read everything and anything that interests me. I can read books on romance, thriller, crime, mythology, biographies and fiction. At one point of time, I was reading French Revolution. Sometimes, if I find newspapers interesting, I can finish reading it from front page to back page in a day. As long as it interests me, I can read anything.

How has reading helped you in your game?

I don’t know how it helps me. Before coming under the BCCI, we had to travel a lot by train, sometimes more than 24 hours. I am not someone who is talkative. I am not a music buff or a film buff. I started buying books and developed interest in reading. There was a point when I was in an interesting page in the book, and I was playing a match, I would be waiting for the match to end so I could go back to the room and continue reading.

There was a period when I had no interest in the match (domestic games) and was waiting to go back to the room and read. Then I realised I could carry it to the match instead of leaving it back in the room. When you wait for your chance to bat or when there is a long partnership, you can always use that time to read.

That’s how I started reading during matches. When the match enters a tricky situation and when there are so many people around, everybody has an opinion saying ‘wish this could happen’ or ‘wish that could happen’. When you watch the batters on the ground, you are already pre-determined that this is a difficult situation.

I did not want that to develop in me as a habit. Rather than watch them bat, I would read and go in and handle the situation the best I can, and not have pre-conceived notions about what is happening on the field. When you are reading, nobody is bothering you. So, you are with your own positive thoughts and not part of the anxiety that the dressing room is.