‘Need to learn from MS Dhoni on how to win a toss'- Mithali Raj's hilarious reply after losing another toss

India women’s historic one-off pink-ball Test match against Australia women ended in a draw on Sunday (3 October). It was an expected result on cards as rain played spoilsport on days one and two. Coming into the last day of the Test match, the hosts were trailing the visitors by 234 runs. Although India removed the remaining five wickets it was always a tall task to get a result possible apart from a draw.

India batted in the second innings and added 135 runs before skipper Mithali Raj declared and set the hosts an improbable 272 runs target in a quarter of the session. The timing of the declaration had experts and critics questioning the skipper’s move and Mithali too felt it was tricky. Nonetheless, India had a memorable debut in the pink-ball Test match and by and large dominated the proceedings with the bat and as well as with the ball in hand.

“It was a little tricky as to when we could declare. Getting eight wickets in 15 overs was a bit of a stretch,” Mithali said at the post-match media conference. Mithali described the Test match performance by her team members as special in the first-ever Day-Night Test match.

Mithali Raj further opined that the girls put on a good show and gave a tough fight to Australia in their backyard. But Raj said winning a Test match in England in 2014 was also special. “Against the best sides, definitely yes. (Against) Australia this is the best game we’ve played. But in 2014, with eight debutants winning a Test in England against England, who had just won the Ashes. That was also very close. That was pretty great. The girls really put up a great show,” Mithali replied.

History of me losing the toss, I didn’t want it to make it a legacy: Mithali Raj

Mithali’s record as captain is unquestionable, but her rate of losing tosses has become quite a hot topic. It had started during the all-format tour to England earlier this year and has continued in Australia. When quizzed about the change at the call she made during the toss, Mithali saw the funny side of it and answered that she did not want to create a legacy by losing tosses.

The change in call didn’t help her too as her counterpart Meg Lanning won the toss and elected to field. Mithali concluded by saying with regards to toss she would like to take a cue from MS Dhoni.