At 31 years and 256 days, Mithali Raj does not know how many more years of international cricket is left in her but Indian women's cricket team captain is "happy" to have played at least one more Test before she called time on her illustrious career.
"When we won the last Test back in 2006 (in Taunton), we were told that we were not going to play anymore Test matches. I don't know how many more years of cricket is left in me but I am happy that I have played one more Test match before hanging my boots," an emotional skipper Mithali said at the post match presentation even as her teammates cheered her on.
Mithali has played only nine Tests but have played 148 ODIs and 46 Twenty20 Internationals.
"As a cricketer, you would always want to play more number of Test matches as it tests all areas of one's game, including mental aspect. I remember when I used to be in the reserves as a 17-year-old back in 1999, I would get excited during a Test match," she recalled.
While the England's women cricketers come under ECB's central contract system, the Indian captain hopes that such performances on foreign soil will help them prepare a case for the BCCI.
"If you look at the England women's team, they have won World Cup, Women's Ashes and are now centrally contracted to the ECB. Hopefully, more such Test wins will make BCCI think of including us under the central contract," Mithali said.
