Marking the end of an iconic era, veteran batter Mithali Raj announced her departure from international cricket this past Wednesday. The Indian captain shared that with a new generation of gifted players ready to take the reins, it is the right time for her to retire. Having led the team through the 2022 ICC Women's World Cup as her final act, she bid farewell to the sport, thanking everyone who supported her over the years.
Raj’s era ended as Mithali has retired from all forms of international cricket. Indian veteran batter Mithali Raj announced her retirement from international cricket on Wednesday. In a statement, the Indian women’s team captain said that she feels now is the perfect time to call curtains on her playing career as the team is in the capable hands of some very talented young players and the future of Indian Cricket is bright. Mithali who led India in the 2022 ICC women’s world cup for one last time has hung her boots and thanked everyone for their love and support over the years in her cricketing journey.
Reflecting on her career, the legendary batter described leading the national team as a great privilege that shaped her leadership skills and influenced the trajectory of women's cricket in India. At 39, she took to Twitter to express her excitement about starting her 'second innings' in life, hoping for the continued blessings and support of her fans.
Mithali made it clear that her passion for the game remains strong and she intends to stay involved in the sport. As India's most successful captain, she expressed a strong commitment to helping women's cricket flourish both domestically and on the international stage.
Starting her journey as a 16-year-old in 1999, the most-capped player in the game's history amassed an incredible record across 12 Tests, 232 ODIs, and 89 T20Is. She stands as the highest run-scorer in women's cricket history with 10,868 total international runs. Her impact is best seen in her ODI record, where she scored 7,805 runs at a world-record average of 50.7, inspiring countless young girls to pick up a bat. Over a stellar 23-year career, she guided India to 89 wins in 155 ODIs, a feat unmatched by any other woman captain.
At just 19, Mithali etched her name in the record books by surpassing Karen Rolton's highest individual Test score, scoring a massive 214. She also holds the unique distinction of being the only Indian woman to go seven consecutive years (2000-2007) without a duck. Furthermore, she is the only Indian captain—regardless of gender—to lead the team to two 50-over World Cup finals, though a trophy remained elusive. Her career spanned a massive transformation in the sport, moving from the WACI and IWCC eras to the BCCI and ICC, and witnessing the evolution of the game from empty grounds to overflowing stadiums.
Mithali Raj is one of those players who played from the era of WACI to BCCI, from IWCC to ICC, and from empty stadiums to packed ones. Mithali’s personal journey has been parallel to the transition of women’s cricket.