New Delhi: Long before she lived up to the surname and established her queendom in international cricket, Mithali Raj was aspiring to display her footwork on a different pitch – Indian classical dancing.
Excellence in her chosen profession notwithstanding, it’s the transition from Bharatnatyam to cricket, which makes her glorious story a compelling one.
Tales about her switch from dance to cricket is being circulated in the social media since she became the first women’s cricketer to reach the 6,000-run mark. Her current tally now stands on 6,028 from 183 matches.
“Mithali was keen on becoming a dancer. However, destiny seemed to have had other plans for her,” father Dorai Raj said Friday, recalling those early years when she would practice her steps for the stage. “Maybe the nimble footwork that she shows while batting is because of her dancing background.”
Mithali’s father, who was an officer with the Indian Air Force and later joined the Andhra Bank, started taking his daughter to the St John’s cricket coaching camp in Secunderabad when she was 10.
RSR Murthy, who has been associated with Mithali since she joined Railways in 2000, applauded her talent and dedication.
“It’s a great achievement. I am feeling very happy. She achieved this milestone because of her hard work and dedication. I wish many more achievements in her career. She has become a role model, not only in India but across the world,” he told this agency. “She made several sacrifices, cutting down on attending social events, for the sake of her career.”
Dorai Raj, who is also into cricket coaching, said he still provides advice to his daughter, but leaves the decision on her. He also added in jest that she took Mithali to a cricket camp to ensure she gets up early from the bed. The late riser eventually turned out to be more promising than her brother, who was being coached at the same camp.
Under the watchful eyes of Sampath Kumar at Keyes School, the sprightly-built Mithali honed her game and it did not take long for the strict coach to predict that she would not only go on to play for India but also break many records. “She was a natural when it came to batting. She could handle her men fast bowlers with ease,” informed Kumar.
Cricket may have happened by chance after a brush with dance, but it is not for nothing that Mithali has been ruling the roost for long.
Press Trust of India
