Had the option to play in WPL but chose not to, says Mithali Raj

Former India captain Mithali Raj has revealed she had the option to participate in the Women’s Premier League after her retirement but chose not to for personal reasons. The celebrated batter opened up about the decision in an exclusive video interview, also speaking about her role in shaping women’s cricket in India over more than two decades.

Raj called time on a 23-year international career in June 2022. The WPL, which launched in 2023 as India’s flagship women’s franchise tournament, arrived almost immediately after she stepped away. Despite being eligible, the veteran right-hander chose to stay on the other side of the ropes.

“When I retired, that’s when the WPL was announced. I did have the option of playing, but I chose not to for my own personal reasons. But there are no regrets in these decisions. I was very happy to be part of, you know, one of the franchise as a mentor-cum-advisor, and then getting into the role of being a consultant for our state association, looking after women’s cricket,” said Raj on The Scoop by Wisden.

What role did Mithali Raj see herself playing in Indian cricket?

The era Raj played in barely resembles the one India women’s cricketers now inhabit. Franchise leagues, broadcast deals, and structured domestic pathways have reshaped the sport in the years since she retired. When asked whether she wished she were playing right now, the legendary captain had a clear and considered response.

“I genuinely feel that I had a particular role to play to bridge that generation with the current generation. You need someone to play that role, and perhaps my journey was that. That was the sense of playing for so long,” said Raj.

Mithali Raj on witnessing women’s cricket’s biggest transformation

A member of the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee, Raj counts herself among a rare few who have seen women’s cricket across its most significant governance changes, from the Women’s Cricket Association of India to the current setup under the BCCI.

“Very few players I can say, who have seen pre-BCCI and post-BCCI phases, where playing under one organisation like Women’s Cricket Association of India and then IWCC (International Women’s Cricket Council), then coming under ICC, coming under the BCCI, seeing the different changes in facilities and the growth of women’s cricket. Not everybody can say that. So I have been very fortunate to have that journey,” said Raj.

One of only four women to surpass 10,000 international runs, alongside Suzie Bates, Charlotte Edwards, and Smriti Mandhana, Raj continues to serve on the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee and as a consultant for women’s cricket operations at the Andhra Cricket Association.