Mithali Raj: The First And Biggest Superstar Of Women's Cricket

The first superstar of women's cricket, arguably the most 'correct' batter in the game, a trailblazer: these sobriquets aptly describe Mithali Raj. Long before she arrived on to the international scene as a 16-year-old and scored a hundred on debut, Mithali was destined to be a great of the game. Her cover drives and back foot punches that the cricketing world relished for years, came naturally to her and to add to that flair, she developed a water-tight technique that few could breach.

In terms of longevity, Mithali's 23-year-old international career is also awe-inspiring and rivals Sachin Tendukar's 24-year-run at the top of his game.

Shantha Rangaswamy, who led India to its first ever Test win in 1976, had no hesitation in calling Mithali the best female batter the country has produced.

Mithali began her career long after Rangaswamy played her last game for India but she tracked her career closely as a commentator, selector and a "fan" of her artistry.

"When you talk about batters with the most sound technique. There are only two names that pop into the head: Sunil Gavaskar and Mithali. "I was commentating during the 2000 World Cup in New Zealand. I saw her bat in the game against South Africa and I was amazed with the technique she possessed. Fellow commentators described it as 'poetry in motion'.

"What is remarkable is even after 20 years in the business, she remained at the top of her game. To me, she is by far the best batter to have played for the Indian women's team," said Rangaswamy.

Mithali had a defence background with her father serving in the Indian Air Force and probably that was one of the reasons behind the unwavering discipline in her batting.

Growing up, she was passionate about Bharatnatyam but since