Harmanpreet Kaur Feels It’s Almost Impossible To Fill Mithali Raj’s Shoes

Jun 19, 2022 at 1:47 PM

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Harmanpreet Kaur Feels It’s Almost Impossible To Fill Mithali Raj’s Shoes

Harmanpreet Kaur, India’s newly appointed women’s ODI captain has paid a rich tribute to arguably the best women’s cricketer India has ever produced, Mithali Raj. The 39-year-old recently hung up her boots from all forms of international cricket and brought the curtains down on a glittering career that lasted more than two decades.

Although there are quite a few talented Indian batters in the white-ball squad for the upcoming tour to Sri Lanka, Harmanpreet Kaur believes it will be almost impossible to fill the shoes of Mithali Raj.

Harmanpreet Kaur looks on during the match BCCI
Harmanpreet Kaur looks on during the match BCCI

Harmanpreet Kaur Doesn’t Think Any Indian Women Cricketer Can Fill Mithali Raj’s Place After Her Retirement

Mithali Raj has ended her 23-year-old international career with 7805 ODI runs in 232 matches, at an average of just over 50. The former India skipper has also scored 2364 runs in 89 T20Is, as well as 699 runs in 12 Tests, including a century and four fifties.

Speaking to reporters before the team’s departure to Sri Lanka, Harmanpreet Kaur said about the former Indian captain: “Well we all know she has done great for women’s cricket and nobody will be able to fill this place. We are working on our team where we can create some great combinations. But regarding Mithali Di, I don’t think there’s anyone who can take her place. We will all miss her in the dressing rooms and the things she has done.”

Mithali Raj- BMN Network/Flickr
Mithali Raj- BMN Network/Flickr

Harmanpreet Kaur has now taken over as the full-time white-ball captain of India as the successor of the 39-year-old Mithali Raj. and her first assignment is the tour to Sri Lanka. The tour comprises three T20Is and as many ODIs, with the first T20I scheduled for June 23 in Dambulla.

Harmanpreet Kaur Opens Up For Playing Without Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami In The Sri Lankan Tour

Harmanpreet Kaur’s first assignment will be in Sri Lanka, where the Indian team is slated to play three T20 Internationals and as many ODI matches before they play in the T20 cricket’s inaugural edition at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The Indian squad won’t have the services of veteran pace bowler Jhulan Goswami for the Sri Lanka tour.

With legends like Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami not a part of the squad, the captain feels it is a great opportunity for others to step up: “For us, I think it is a good tour to start because for the first time we will be playing without our senior players. Great opportunity for us to build a team. We have done great preparation during this NCA camp and we are looking forward to the Sri Lanka tour.”

File image of Jhulan Goswami | Andrew Couldridge/Reuters
File image of Jhulan Goswami | Andrew Couldridge/Reuters

The Indian women’s team will also feature in the Commonwealth Games, starting July 28, and then in next year’s T20 World Cup in South Africa. While Harmanpreet Kaur wants to field the strongest possible team in T20Is, she feels the ODI team can take a bit of time to be rebuilt.

On this, she said: “In T20s we will definitely look to [play] our first combination, give them as many games as possible. In the ODIs, we have a little time to prepare for the next World Cup [in 2025] and it is where we will see if we can give chance to each and everybody.”

India will play the first T20I against Sri Lanka women on June 23 at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium.

India Women’s head coach Ramesh Powar has stated that the BCCI and selectors will provide an “update” on Jhulan Goswami and Shikha Pandey in the due course of time. The duo was among the big names missing when the selectors announced the Indian women’s squad for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka.

The legendary pacer Jhulan Goswami (39) has played 12 Tests, 201 ODIs, and 68 T20Is for India Women and has claimed 352 international scalps. As for the 33-year-old Shikha Pandey, she has featured in three Tests, 55 ODIs, and 56 T20Is and has claimed a total of 119 wickets across formats.

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