Padma Shri came as pleasant surprise: Mithali Raj
27 Jan 2015 3:37 AM GMT
Surprised at being selected for the Padma Shri, Indian women’s cricket team captain Mithali Raj says she was not expecting the prestigious honour with some men’s team superstars also in the race.
“Honestly when I was pitted against Virat Kohli, I gave up because when you compare us with men’s cricket then we think that we may not get it. So I was not expecting it, but it came as a pleasant surprise,” Mithali said from her Hyderabad home. A veteran of 153 ODIs, 10 Tests and 47 T20 internationals since making her debut in 1999, Mithali, 32, believes that the Padma Shri will certainly help the cause of Indian women’s cricket. “It (the award) is a nice way of appreciating your efforts.
Because at a time when I started playing cricket, there was no awareness for women’s cricket. People were not even knowing that women’s cricket existed. And from that phase to on Monday where people would want to follow women’s cricket, I think we have come a long way. These awards will really prop up the young girls and players to take up the sport and do much better. With this award probably people will be following women’s cricket keenly and will take a note of the international calender of women,” Mithali said.
Asked about her view on the recent trend of sportspersons demanding their due from the concerned authorities, Mithali said that ‘to each his own’. “There are some people who feel that they deserve a particular award or recognition, but I don’t fall in that category. I am very laidback and I take it as it comes. So it’s fine with me. I have got it and am very happy about it,” she said. The veteran batswoman also talked about Indian men’s performance before the upcoming World Cup and said that the batsmen can play cover up for the weak bowling.
“Well maybe, bowling is a concern for Team India but I believe that they will make it up with their strong batting. We have a very good batting line-up, it’s just a matter of the core coming into form and I am sure that the batting will definitely cover up for the bowling. You can’t really say whose going to be the favourite because we have seen a lot of ups and downs in the World Cup. I am rooting for India because I definitely want them to do well in the showpiece event,” Mithali said.
Devoid of match practice, the women’s team did manage to beat England in their one-off Test outing after eight long years in August 2014 and Mithali hopes for more such opportunities in the near future. “I am sure with the new format of the ICC, we will get to play more matches. So, that way we will have more news coming in from women’s cricket,” Mithali said.
“Honestly when I was pitted against Virat Kohli, I gave up because when you compare us with men’s cricket then we think that we may not get it. So I was not expecting it, but it came as a pleasant surprise,” Mithali said from her Hyderabad home. A veteran of 153 ODIs, 10 Tests and 47 T20 internationals since making her debut in 1999, Mithali, 32, believes that the Padma Shri will certainly help the cause of Indian women’s cricket. “It (the award) is a nice way of appreciating your efforts.
Because at a time when I started playing cricket, there was no awareness for women’s cricket. People were not even knowing that women’s cricket existed. And from that phase to on Monday where people would want to follow women’s cricket, I think we have come a long way. These awards will really prop up the young girls and players to take up the sport and do much better. With this award probably people will be following women’s cricket keenly and will take a note of the international calender of women,” Mithali said.
Asked about her view on the recent trend of sportspersons demanding their due from the concerned authorities, Mithali said that ‘to each his own’. “There are some people who feel that they deserve a particular award or recognition, but I don’t fall in that category. I am very laidback and I take it as it comes. So it’s fine with me. I have got it and am very happy about it,” she said. The veteran batswoman also talked about Indian men’s performance before the upcoming World Cup and said that the batsmen can play cover up for the weak bowling.
“Well maybe, bowling is a concern for Team India but I believe that they will make it up with their strong batting. We have a very good batting line-up, it’s just a matter of the core coming into form and I am sure that the batting will definitely cover up for the bowling. You can’t really say whose going to be the favourite because we have seen a lot of ups and downs in the World Cup. I am rooting for India because I definitely want them to do well in the showpiece event,” Mithali said.
Devoid of match practice, the women’s team did manage to beat England in their one-off Test outing after eight long years in August 2014 and Mithali hopes for more such opportunities in the near future. “I am sure with the new format of the ICC, we will get to play more matches. So, that way we will have more news coming in from women’s cricket,” Mithali said.
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