India Test and ODI captain Mithali Raj on Monday said women’s cricket needs media support to promote the game and personally she had never felt the necessity to forgo a press conference.
Mithali made the remarks in the wake of a controversy involving 23-year-old Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka, who withdrew from the ongoing French Open, after refusing to take part in the post-match media conferences.
“Well, I think it is tough to be in quarantine for any athlete. But, I think getting into a tournament, we do not feel that. Personally I have not felt that I should forgo a press conference because women’s cricket right now, where it stands, it needs media support,” Mithali said when specifically asked about the topic.
Mithali was addressing a virtual press-conference ahead of the team’s tour to England alongside head coach Ramesh Powar.
“And it is important for players also to try and help in the growth of a sport. So, we need to try and promote the sport,” added the 38-year-old, who has several records to her name.
Osaka had decided to boycott press conferences during the ongoing Grand Slam – a move that had drawn flak – as he felt that the nature of questioning was often damaging to her mental health.