Bengaluru, 8 Nov: Former India captain Mithali Raj is keeping her options open for the women’s IPL tournament slated next year — player or mentor or even owning a team.
The BCCI recently announced that the inaugural women’s IPL will take place in March next year before the men’s tournament.
“I am keeping that role open, whether as a player or in a franchise in some way as a mentor,” she told PTI in an interview on Tuesday.
“But right now, nothing is clear, there are five teams…how they are going to do, whether it’s a bidding or auction, so until there is some concrete information, I am keeping pretty much all things open,” said Mithali, who retired from international cricket earlier this year.
Asked if owning a team is an option, she said, “Maybe, yes”.
Mithali recently made her debut as a commentator and termed it an “interesting phase”.
“I am watching cricket from a very different optics. I still do feel the nerves if it’s a tight game. I still have to cross that barrier of not feeling those emotions of a player,” the former India skipper, who was here for an event, said.
“I am just testing the waters if I am apt for commentary. Maybe after a few months, I will see if I still have keenness to pursue it.”
On attracting more young girls to take up cricket as a career, she said the first edition of the under-19 World Cup next year is a major step forward and termed it a big platform.
Asked what more needs to be done to further promote women’s cricket after BCCI’s announcement on equal match fees for its centrally-contracted female and male players, she said nothing changes overnight and there’s time for everything. (PTI)