Bhai Dooj: A story behind Mithali Raj becoming an athlete with brother Mithun's motivation

On the occasion of a festival celebrated by Hindus, captain of women cricket team Mithali Raj has shared her sibling story with brother Mithun.

According to Hidustan Times, the Indian skipper said that in early days her brother played a crucial role in motivating her.

In her latest interview, Mithali recalled her initial days of struggling in cricket. In 2002, she was dealing with some personal issues and therefore, she was not able to focus on her game.

But Mithun was the one who stood with the right-handed batswoman and got her back on track.

“I was in Mumbai and I think he was in Visakhapatnam. He used to write me mails and call on the landline — mobile phones weren’t common at that time — motivating me to focus on my game,” says Mithali. “He said that he’d take care of the rest. I still remember how he’d say that he was there for me.”

“We don’t need any occasion to celebrate our bond”, the 33-years-old emotional player said.

Mithun, who works with the tribal rights advocacy NGO Samata, said that the love he share with sister Mithali is beyond words.

“Whenever there’s something that she can’t discuss with our parents, she’d confide in me,” reveals Mithun.

When he was asked to tell about the bond he share with his sister Mithali, he asserted, “I consider Mithali being a sister a gift in itself”, and then he quips, “She’s very dedicated, and focussed on her game, but in her personal life, she’s quite lazy — she’d unmindfully leave her things here and there. Though I don’t get to see her often, every time I enter her room [in their family home in Hyderabad], I smile, looking at the way she has decorated her room with the stuffed toys I gifted her.”

Mithali had became the leading run-scorer in women's ODI history earlier this year.