MITHALI RAJ

I feel that when you are chasing 270 there's always going to be pressure but you need the opening pair to give us a start so that the batters can take from thereon.

Well, I think the turning point, in my opinion, has to be 2006 as in that year we came under BCCI. With that a lot of facilities were provided to us, a lot of things changed for good and better.

It will be important because every country is looking forward to getting more girls to play the sport. And if you have another World Cup of, say, Under-19 or Under-21, it gives an opportunity for young girls to compete at that level because there's something to look forward to.

It is the pride to play for India that keeps me going. Not many get a chance to play for India and I feel very fortunate to be still playing. The will to do well for India is a big motivation.

Initially, I was into dance and learnt Bharatnatyam for eight years. I appeared on various TV shows.

But if you have live matches and there is TV coverage, I'm sure you have more viewership because people would love to see women's cricket again on television.

Men's cricket sets the bar. We are always trying to reach where they set the standard.

Let's say something like Olympics is happening, I will definitely watch because that is something which is live after so many months. I think sports will definitely get people to watch.

As a captain and as a player I wanted to lead the team well and score runs, because I know the team still depends on me very much.

It is important for me, no matter whether I lead or not, that I continue my form even in the World Cup. It is important that you get runs because people look up to you, and the team also expects you to get runs being a senior member of the side.

Although I am not in the thick of things when it comes to T20 cricket, but as an ODI captain, I'd like to give more stability to the players.

At this level, if you are aiming for the World Cup, because the tournament is so long there will be points where the team may lose a couple of games.

But growing as an India cricketer it was about the blue jersey and the pride we all felt wearing that jersey.

With more sponsors coming in, media engagements happening, and matches being televised, youngsters can get carried away. In such a scenario, a mentor can step in and help in channelising the cricketers' energies into the sport.

Cricket was never my first choice. I never wanted to be a sportsperson. It just happened. It was destiny.

As a batter, I would want to see that the best bowler is in my side so I don't have to face him.

Fitness is getting creative as gym equipment is not available at home. I am making do with the resources I have. I'm being given a schedule I can follow by my trainer. Of course it is not close to the exercises I can do in the gym. But I am trying to do as much as I can to maintain my strength.

When I made my debut I had a lot of seniors in the side, then players of my own age group, then juniors and now am rubbing shoulders with teenagers. It's actually the fourth generation of players and a rarity for a player to achieve it.

People were not even knowing that women's cricket existed. And from that phase to today where people would want to follow women's cricket, I think we have come a long way.

I do not make decisions based on emotion, because it is my career and I would like to be more practical when it comes to career.

With central contracts, you are very well looked after by the board. You do not have to be bothered about anything else. Just put in the hard work and do well for the country.

I am very laidback and I take it as it comes.

Even though I am someone who played one-dayers more, I have equally prepared hard for the T20 format too.

When I got associated with Australian Diamonds, I started to know more about it, things like certificate of assurance and that they are sourced from a trusted and iconic mine... If you are spending so much, you should know from where the diamond is coming.

From making my international debut as a 16-year-old to now 37, it has been a good 21 years of my prime life spent not at home but at the ground - different countries, hotels, grounds, coaches, travel etc. It's been a very privileged journey.