Covid-19 has taught us that we don't need too much to be happy: Mithali Raj

In an alternate non-pandemic universe, Mithali Raj and her girls would be busy strategising and training for that one goal — to win that elusive world title. India narrowly missed it twice – in 2017 when they lost the ODI World Cup final to England and earlier this year they lost the T20 World Cup final to Australia. But here she is, like everybody else, stuck at home and waiting for the virus to go away. The 37-year-old Mithali, who has retired from the shortest format and wasn’t part of the T20 World Cup side, is set to lead India in the 50-over World Cup in eight months’ time in New Zealand — probably her last shot at glory. In Part 1 of this two-part interview with ET Sport, Mithali talks about her life in the times of corona, her daily routine, her worries and more. Excerpts:

How is life? Where are you these days?
I'm at home (in Hyderabad) and I have kind of become used to the lockdown. It no longer feels like it was in the first few days after it was announced. At that time, it just felt a little weird because as professional athletes we are so used to going to the ground every day. So, I think to suddenly confine ourselves to our homes and not being able to go to the ground or gym was a little difficult in the first three-four days. But then I started to develop a routine again where I was able to include all the activities which I could do at home and keep myself busy every day. Unlike the first few days, I'm not struggling (anymore). I’ve got used to the routine, so, it helps me to get through the days.

Can you tell us about your routine? What do you do throughout the day?
In the first few weeks, I trained early in the morning. As I stay in an apartment, I used to be on my terrace by six and finish my training by eight because the hot summer sun made it impossible to stay there for longer. I used to then come back and have breakfast. Then I watered my plants.


In the first half of the day, I would either read or do some work or paint or sketch -- anything that interests me. Then after lunch, I would indulge in another session of training, something indoors. And (in the) evening, I spent at least half an hour doing some drills to keep in touch with the game -- like a hanging ball or hitting-the-wall catches for reflexes.

My watchman has two children – I play with them. They also help me with my drills. This way, the children stay active and involved and I get to do my drills. This is pretty much the routine.

But after two weeks, I felt like I needed some change. So, now what I do is read early in the morning and help my mother whichever way I can. Then I train indoors at 11 o'clock. When you don't socialize -- we're all social people; as humans we should be interacting – your schedule is limited. Your daily routine also sometimes gets boring. So, that's why I keep changing it. If I feel it is getting monotonous, I change it or add something very different.

Besides, I'm also spending time on my book. I speak to my editor almost two-three times a week to get things going.

Is watering the plants your hobby?
I wouldn't call it a hobby but it's kind of a routine now. Earlier, my parents used to take care of the garden, but now since I have time on my hand, I decided I would take charge. It feels good when you see flowers blossom on the plants that you’ve been watering for a month. It feels nice to be a part of something which is growing every day.

Coming to your book, how much is it done and when can we expect it to come out?
There is still some time for the book, it’s a long-drawn process. Now that I have more time at hand, my editor and I are working on a lot of material.

As you mentioned reading, which book are you reading these days? Tell us about the genres that you like.
I usually keep it light because it's not like I'm preparing for any sort of exam. Right now I am reading White Mughals by William Dalrymple. It’s not a story but it has a lot to do with the Mughal empire, how things were way back in that era and it speaks a lot about even Hyderabad. It gives me a lot of information about my own city, how it was and stuff like that.

What do you miss these days?
I think working out at home is a little difficult. I need to move a lot of furniture to make place for my training every day. So that's a little difficult. I enjoyed my fitness training in the gym and on the ground. I mean it's important in a sport like cricket that you spend your time on the ground working out, even your fitness. Unfortunately, that is something I am not able to do. And as athletes, early in the morning, we are always on the ground. So there's that freshness in the mornings when you're on the ground. I miss that. I miss meeting people on the ground, my teammates or the normal early morning environment in the academy.

The situation is not good in the country. People are dying, people are getting sick, you can't move freely, you can’t meet friends. In these circumstances, it’s normal to be worried. What are your worries these days?
I think I'm privileged. I fall in that privileged slot where I have food on my plate every day, I have a home to live in, I have my parents around. So I think I'm very lucky. Compared with the struggle some people are going through, I think I'm extremely privileged. So, I shouldn't be complaining, I should be happy with what I have. And just thank god that I'm in a better position than most in these times. I pray every day that somehow things get better and may people get the courage to fight through these hard times.

Reading newspapers or watching news every day, seeing how people are struggling, my worries seem miniscule. I should be showing more gratitude for where I am because we are seeing a lot of people walking back home for like hundreds of kilometres. I should not be worrying about what I don't have. Looking at them makes me very sad. Along with the government, there are also a lot of people who have come forward to help those who are struggling. So, it is also nice to see everybody rallying around each other in whatever ways they can because at the end of the day it doesn’t matter how much money you have. Life is much more important.

The current situation, if it has taught anybody anything, it’s the importance of life. In our day-to-day routines and while building our careers, becoming successful and earning money, fame and glory, we have forgotten the basic thing — the value of life. The virus doesn't see who is the richest or who's got more titles. Each one of us is equally vulnerable.

So, the current situation has given you a new perspective in life.
It has definitely taught us that we don't need too much to be happy. We should be content with the basic things – food, family, home. Having your family around is the biggest positive that I can think of in this time; at least I'm with my aging parents. You see so many people stranded in different countries. I was just fortunate that I came back from New Zealand before the borders were closed. My mother was worried I would get stuck. So, I feel really fortunate to have made it back home on time.

Part 2 - Not just women's cricket, every athlete’s momentum is broken because of Covid-19: Mithali Raj