Mithali Raj, often hailed as the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) of women’s cricket, has long been the face of Indian women’s cricket. With a career that redefined the sport in India, Raj scored over 10,000 international runs and led India to multiple World Cup finals. A true trailblazer, she not only set records on the field but also inspired generations off it.
At a media roundtable during the opening dinner of the ICC Women’s World Cup, Raj was asked a question she’s likely heard far too often — “Who’s your favourite male cricketer?” But this time, she responded with a smart and pointed reply that left no room for doubt about her stance.
“Do you ask the same question to a male cricketer? Do you ask them who their favourite female cricketer is?” she countered.
“I have always been asked who’s your favourite cricketer but you should ask them who their favourite female cricketer is.”
Her answer wasn’t just sharp, it was a reflection of a larger issue in sports — the unequal attention and recognition between male and female athletes. Despite representing a country where cricket is a near religion, women cricketers still fight for the visibility and respect their male counterparts receive by default.
Raj didn’t hold back when addressing the disparity in publicity between the men’s and women’s game.
“There’s a lot of difference because we are not a regular on television. Now the BCCI has made an effort that the last two home series have been televised and social media has improved a lot of it but there is a still a lot of catch-up to do in terms of recognition.”
She acknowledged the progress made but emphasized there’s still a long way to go.
Raj also spoke highly of coach Tushar Arothe’s impact on the team and how men’s cricket continues to set the benchmark they aspire to match.
“Men’s cricket sets the bar. We are always trying to reach where they set the standard. All of us follow men’s cricket because we want at some point that women’s cricket would be up there,” she explained.
“All of us at some point have been coached by a male cricketer. I strongly believe that they get a lot of intensity into the training sessions. They are very hard taskmasters.”
While highlighting the value male coaches bring, Raj made it clear that the focus should always be on merit, regardless of gender.
“I believe that if you are representing your country, your country should get the best of the best. It’s nothing to do with women coaches (who) don’t have the ability.”