Mumbai: Cricketer Mithali Raj, known for her unrivaled batting skills and fierce determination on the cricket field, revealed a new side of herself on 'Duologue with Barun Das,' which is now available on News9 Plus.
“Mithali’s unique perspective on leadership and well-structured ideas on bridging the gap in a ‘man vs woman’ sporting culture made the duologue an insightful and memorable one,” said TV9 Network MD & CEO Barun Das who also dons the host’s hat on the series.
Asked if she is ready to take up the role of an administrator after a successful cricketing career, Raj said, “Yes. If I can be part of any role in administration to chalk out the structure for the grass root level or to (create) a yearly calendar for women’s cricket… and always (be) there for women cricketers whenever they feel the need to talk something out.”
Raj candidly shared some of her regrets while recounting the numerous successes she encountered during her 23-year professional journey.
“Despite being part of six world cups that I have played, I couldn’t get… the trophy. That probably is one thing that is missing in my cabin,” she expressed.
Being direct comes naturally to the ex-captain. In the first episode, she explains why she announced her retirement from cricket on social media on 8 June , 2022. Moving on from the past, Raj discussed the media's critical role in shaping public perception of female athletes and expressed her desire for equal representation and opportunities as her male counterparts.
“Why BCCI is able to have a pay parity now is because for a long time the (women’s) team has been doing well. They have gradually started to market it because the team is giving results and marketing helped to let people come and watch or probably view it on any platform or television and that’s how you got digital rights. Other federations also need to do that,” she said.
About her confidence in women’s cricket attracting audiences, Raj said that marketing and timing are important. “If you don’t show the matches in prime time and if it is not a weekend, then I’m not sure if we can have crowds turning up for the matches,” she said of the upcoming Women’s Premier League slated for March 2023. However, she is confident about the format. “The WPL definitely will unearth a lot of stars of the future & increase the pool of talent that we have in our domestic structure,” she added.
Barun Das praised Mithali Raj's leadership style and drew parallels with his own. On the final episode of the series, titled 'Lessons in Leadership,' Das asked Raj about her pre-match huddle with team members. "Do you tell your team, 'Let's go fight,' or, 'Let's go win,'?" he wonders. The former captain's response is sure to be plastered on pin boards in the locker rooms of cricket teams all over the world.
Duologue with Barun Das, starring Mithali Raj, is a new four-episode season on News9 Plus.
EP1: Making of a Role Model
EP2: Not Out! Women in Blue
EP3: The Battle of Equals
EP4: Lessons in Leadership
Duologue with Barun Das is a cerebral conversation with a legend or a future legend. As the name implies, it is a two-way interaction that allows for the free exchange of ideas. The purpose of duologue is not to provoke headline management, but to evolve emancipated influencer conversations.
