Shah Rukh Khan Backs Mithali Raj To Become Men's Team Head Coach One Day

India women team’s talismanic skipper Mithali Raj had to fight her whole to carve out an identity where her male counterparts are treated no less than demigods. The legendary batswoman has been on the scene since 1999 since she made her debut as a 16-year old and went on to define her legacy. However, it took her quite long to make a place in the fans’ heart.

In a recent interview, she had said how she does not get the credit she deserves before expressing her displeasure over being called the Sachin Tendulkar of the women’s cricket. Well, amidst all this, the veteran batting star had received perhaps the best compliment of her life so far when Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan told her he wanted to see her coaching the Indian men’s team one day.

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On January 1, the first day of 2018, Mithali served as one of the guests to the show, TED Talks India Nayi Soch.

“I want to see you as the coach of the men’s cricket team one day,” Shah Rukh, who is the host of the show, told Mithali.

And in reply, Mithali said:

“I always want to give my best.”

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Shah Rukh had also asked him about his book-reading habit before a match, a picture of which had gone viral on the internet during the ICC Women’s World Cup.

“When you are on the field, and everyone is looking up to you and the entire team to bring back the trophy, (then) it is not just about the game. So, it is necessary for us to stay focussed… and we all have our own ways to ensure we give our best on the field,” Mithali explained.

“I read books to get rid of pressure during a match. It does help me to keep calm and encourage a good performance,” she added.

Mithali has been leading the national team for over a decade. Three years after making her debut in 1999, she marked her arrival at the highest stage of the game with a staggering 214 against England which was the highest score in women’s Test cricket before being broken by Kiran Baluch in 2004. Her legacy then only grew stronger with each passing day. She is the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket and the only female cricketer to surpass the 6,000 run mark in ODIs.

The 34-year old is the first player to score seven consecutive 50s in ODIs and is the first captain (men or women) to lead India to an ICC ODI World Cup final twice – 2005 and 2017.

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