Mithali Raj, one of India’s legendary female cricketers, shared her experiences with awkward and uncomfortable conversations in her search for a life partner. Mithali revealed about the issues she had to constantly face as a career-oriented woman on the podcast show Ranveer Show with Ranveer Allahabadia.
The fact that Mithali is a cricketing icon is not enough, she said, for potential suitors not to ask her questions borne out of traditional gender stereotypes. My mother was accustomed to her aunts arriving with these discussions, which embodied the societal pressure that women felt, that I, too, would need to slot myself into in the familiar role of wife and mother. Suitors, many from Kolhapur, expected her to abandon cricket following marriage and, to focus on domestic duties. Her dating experience includes a suitor asking if, in her view, she should care for his mother or play cricket in the event of an emergency. Mithali was taken aback by the ridiculousness of the question and pointed out the ludicrousness of such a request.
After all, the cricketer explained, some of her friends told her to change her views if she ever wanted to get married. They noted that she would have to change her career priorities to conform to the type of wife that many men in society wanted and expected. Even then, Mithali was unmoved, saying she could give up her career, but not cricket, to please someone else. She added in the post that her 25-year-long journey in cricket had come with a lot of sacrifices, and she was not ready to give up who she was or what she had achieved for anybody who is not ready to respect her dreams.
Mithali’s candid revelations underscore the hurdles women encounter while following unconventional journeys, particularly in fields like sports, which require exceptional dedication. Her stories highlight the reality that women are expected to always prioritize family and their roles as wives and mothers over their accomplishments, even when they are successful professionals.
Mithali Raj is yet another profound example of how standing up against the limitating expectations of us can impact the lives of many before us to forget living vicariously through others and combining professionalism with being a pioneer in their personal careers. Her experience is a testament to the call for a cultural change that acknowledges and honors the aspirations and uniqueness of women. Mithali has changed the game not just for Indian women’s cricket but has also redefined the story of being an independent, successful woman in India.