Kolkata: Mithali Raj, the great Indian batter, has announced her retirement from all forms of international cricket. The 39-year-old made the announcement on Twitter.
“I feel now is the perfect time to call curtains on my playing career as the team is in the capable hands of some very talented young players and the future of Indian cricket is bright,” Raj’s statement read.
Thank you for all your love & support over the years!
I look forward to my 2nd innings with your blessing and support. pic.twitter.com/OkPUICcU4u— Mithali Raj (@M_Raj03) June 8, 2022
This marked the end of the captain’s 23-year tenure as the skipper of the Indian women’s squad. She left the game as the woman with the most runs and the first Indian captain, male or female, to lead the team to two 50-over World Cup finals.
Raj was rated seventh in the world in the most recent ICC ODI batting rankings. Raj withdrew from T20Is in 2019 but continued to captain India in ODIs and Tests. She struggled in the just-finished ODI World Cup, getting only 182 runs in seven innings.
