Arguably India’s greatest batswoman, Mithali Raj has been a stalwart for Indian cricket for the past so many years. The right-handed player has reached milestones aplenty in her illustrious career spanning more than two decades.

Raj is the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket and is the only female player to cross the 7000-run mark in women’s ODI cricket. 

She plays for the Railways in the domestic competition and it was in the year 1999 when she was fast tracked and was drafted in the Indian squad to face Ireland. In her very first ODI game, she blasted her maiden century, scoring an unbeaten 114-run knock. 

Three years later, Raj made her Test debut, and surpassed Keron Rolton’s record of the highest individual Test score of 209*, scoring 214 against England at Taunton.

Raj led India into the 2005 Women’s World Cup final, where they eventually lost to Australia. Chasing 216 in the final, India faltered and lost the match by 98 runs. 

A year after the World Cup loss, Raj made her T20I debut against England, and since then has been a regular feature in the shortest format of the game.

India hosted the 2013 Women’s World Cup, and in the very same event, Raj became the  No.1 ranked women’s cricketer in the ODI charts. 

During the 2017 World Cup, Raj surpassed former England captain, Charlotte Edwards to become the highest run-scorer in ODI’s and the first women’s player to cross the 6000-run mark. She had a dream 2017 World Cup, amassing 409 runs, scoring three half-centuries and having a century to her name as the Indian team reached the finals once again, but eventually lost to England.

In the 2018 Women’s T20 World Cup, Raj was a subject of controversy in the wake of her omission from the semi-finals. She accused then head coach, Ramesh Powar of unfair treatment and behavior towards her. 

In December 2020, the International Cricket Council announced the Test, ODI and T20 teams of the decade, and Raj was named in the women’s ODI squad of the decade.

A technically sound player, Raj’s ability to anchor an innings at the top of the order has inspired so many young female cricketers. It has been a roller-coaster ride for her and she has established herself as the face of women’s cricket in India. 

Her consistency is second to none and whenever people talk about Indian women’s cricket, the first name that comes to everyone’s mind is that of Mithali Raj.

(As of Mar 21)