I was nine when I started playing cricket. But, cricket was not by choice. I was enrolled in a summer camp with my brother. My parents thought that sports would make me a disciplined person as I used to hate waking up early.
While my brother played cricket, I used to sit and solve maths. But soon my interest in cricket developed and I started to enjoy the game. There wasn’t a point in my life when I thought, ‘I want to become a cricketer’.
I did face challenges. Even though my parents were supportive. My relatives were against it. They considered it a rough game.
There were people who were ignorant about women’s cricket. They used to end up asking me ridiculous questions like what the rules were, how many women play, etc. Imagine the pain of answering all these questions! Thankfully, in 2002, we played a lot of home series and they were telecast. People became aware of women’s cricket.
Women’s cricket did go through a rough patch when we were under WCAI (Women Cricket Association of India). WCAI was not financially sound. Only if we got a good sponsor did we go on tours. Also, the kind of grounds we played on were terrible. But in 2007, when women’s cricket came under the BCCI, everything changed for the better. But all those tough moments made me a better cricketer.
Cricket was never my first choice: Mithali Raj - Sport - DNA
While my brother played cricket, I used to sit and solve maths. But soon my interest in cricket developed and I started to enjoy the game. There wasn’t a point in my life when I thought, ‘I want to become a cricketer’.
I did face challenges. Even though my parents were supportive. My relatives were against it. They considered it a rough game.
There were people who were ignorant about women’s cricket. They used to end up asking me ridiculous questions like what the rules were, how many women play, etc. Imagine the pain of answering all these questions! Thankfully, in 2002, we played a lot of home series and they were telecast. People became aware of women’s cricket.
Women’s cricket did go through a rough patch when we were under WCAI (Women Cricket Association of India). WCAI was not financially sound. Only if we got a good sponsor did we go on tours. Also, the kind of grounds we played on were terrible. But in 2007, when women’s cricket came under the BCCI, everything changed for the better. But all those tough moments made me a better cricketer.
Cricket was never my first choice: Mithali Raj - Sport - DNA
