'I didn't want my daughter to go through it all' - Mithali Raj's mother expresses her view

Though the news of the Mithali Raj's retirement was on the clouds for quite a time, it is a surprise for many fanatics that the cricket world would miss the impeccable player's contribution with her captaincy and the bat on the field. Several people have taken social media to express gratitude for the former captain's contribution to the sport. 

Meanwhile, Leela Raj, the mother of Mithali Raj, has expressed her delight in her daughters' decision. 

"I don't know about the other members of the family, but I am very happy with the decision. I am tired because once a person goes to the top there is immense pressure and, definitely, I didn't want my daughter to go through it all. All memories go to the day when she started playing cricket. At that time we never thought that she would reach such heights. It was just one step at a time. But in the last eight years, I should say the pressures were on. It was a little bothersome and we needed to handle it properly. I think we handled it well. It is expected for a long time. She was waiting for the World Cup. That was the only major thing that kept her going." Leela Raj said to the Times of India (TOI).

Leela Raj also mentioned how the cricketer started her sporting journey at the tender age of 10. She appreciated her hard work and dedication to the sport. Leela said, "To put it in one word, Mithali has been a 'builder'. She built her career with a lot of focus and dedication. Cricket was nowhere in her life as it just came to her but she worked hard and built it brick by brick. Every player works hard but Mithali has immense focus. She never wavered from her goals."

When asked about her post-retirement future and plans, Leela said, "Seriously, I can't tell anything as she makes her own decisions. Only when it is off the field that she does consult me. I am nowhere when it comes to things on the field. I don't know what she is planning. But I wanted her to take up commentary, especially during the Covid period when nothing was happening, After the World Cup, I was hoping that she would be more at home but it didn't happen. She was at home only for two days before going off again. I am hoping that I will get to spend more time with her now but I am keeping my fingers crossed."

With a colossal number of runs across all the formats and her commendable captaincy stint, Mithali Raj had a remarkable 23-year-long career. As the above suggests, she has the record of scoring the most number of runs in women's international cricket.