Mithali Raj: Sachin Tendulkar’s Advice Helped Me Reinvent My Game And Extend My Career.

I recall our conversation prior to the 2017 World Cup in England. I had a one-on-one conversation with him after a group discussion. I wanted to ask him how he had such a long career and how he had to reinvent himself to face new bowlers from the younger generation, Mithali said.
With such a long career, every generation has standout bowlers; I was curious how he kept up with that. People start noticing that your footwork is slowing down as you get older, that you are picking the line and length late, and that you are not quick on the ball.
I was curious how he managed to overcome all of that and stay on top of his game. He did make suggestions, which I tried to implement in training, said Mithali, who finished the 2017 World Cup with 409 runs and captained India to the final.
Though India lost in the final, it was a game-changing result that revolutionised women’s cricket in the country. Mithali recalled that she and Tendulkar did not discuss technique much because the conversation centred on the mental aspect of the game.
We didn’t go into detail about technique because everyone has different techniques. As a senior pro who has played for so long, all you can do is offer preparation advice to another player, which he did for me.
At the time, there were high expectations for me to deliver with the bat and as captain. When you hear people say, ‘Oh, she’s nearing retirement,’ and you want to do really well in that stage and show that age isn’t affecting your skill, I thought he was the best person to reach out to because he’s been through all of that, she explained.
This was in 2017, but Mithali had first met Sachin 15 years before when she broke the record for the highest individual score in women’s Test cricket. Women’s cricket did not receive the attention and facilities it deserved at the time, and Mithali and her teammates were awestruck during their first meeting with the batting maestro.
In 2002, I was recognised at the Castrol awards, which were previously reserved for male cricketers. I had been invited. He (Tendulkar) appeared to be very interested in how we trained and what kind of facilities we had.
We were under WCAI at the time, not BCCI. He wanted to know if I mostly played on matting or turf wickets. We were mostly playing on matting wickets. He claims that playing on matting wickets has advantages and is beneficial to backfoot play. He came across as a very positive person, recalled Mithali, who used to watch a lot of Tendulkar videos when she was younger.
Mithali’s off-side play was a work of art, but what amazed her about Tendukar was how consistently he played with the full face of the bat.
I was always too busy playing to watch cricket like a crazy fan. If I had to watch a specific shot of his or how he played Shane Warne, I would watch the highlights because playing a leggie is so difficult for a right hand batter.
It really struck me how he plays every shot with the full face of the bat, whether it’s a cover drive or a straight drive. I particularly like the one he plays up through the point region.
On numerous occasions, his teammates praised his mental preparation. Not only did he prioritise skills, but he also prioritised mental preparedness, which is why he was able to stay on top for so long. Tendulkar and Mithali played international cricket for 24 and 23 years, respectively, and their longevity drew comparisons. Mithali stated that she is in no way comparable to Tendulkar’s incredible achievements.
The comparisons were only made because of our shared longevity. He was someone I looked up to as a kid because of the way he carried himself on and off the pitch.
To be compared to him is enormous. I don’t think anyone can compare to Sachin and his accomplishments, as well as how he transformed a sport in India into one that everyone enjoys. What distinguishes Tendulkar from other greats of the game?
There are two sides to this. When he talks about the sport, he is still engrossed. On his face, you notice a childlike expression. He is a huge fan of the sport.source: iDream Sports
The second issue is that when we retire, we tend to take a back seat. We don’t put as much effort into planning. I don’t believe he ever does. We were in a camp in Mumbai at the time, and he was coming to train for a retired players competition.
That demonstrates that when he steps onto the pitch, he will not take anything for granted. In that regard, Mithali and I are similar.