Former India captain Mithali Raj and wicketkeeper-batter Ravi Kalpana will be honoured with stadium stands named after them at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. The dedication ceremony will take place on October 12, ahead of India’s ICC Women’s ODI World Cup clash against Australia.
The initiative was inspired by Smriti Mandhana’s suggestion to Andhra Pradesh IT minister Nara Lokesh during the Breaking the Boundaries chat in August, following which the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) moved swiftly to implement it.
“The ACA’s tribute to Mithali Raj and Ravi Kalpana reflects a deep commitment to honouring the trailblazers who have redefined women’s cricket in India while inspiring the next generation to dream bigger,” the ACA said in a statement.
Minister Lokesh, acknowledging Mandhana’s role, said, “Smriti Mandhana’s thoughtful suggestion captured a wider public sentiment. Translating that idea into immediate action reflects our collective commitment to gender parity and to acknowledging the trailblazers of women’s cricket.”
Mithali Raj, one of the most iconic figures in the history of women’s cricket, remains the highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs with 7805 runs in 232 matches at an average of 50.68, including seven centuries. She also amassed 2364 runs in 89 T20Is and 699 runs in 12 Tests, highlighted by her monumental 214, the highest individual score by an Indian in women’s Test cricket.
Raj retired in 2022, ending a storied 23-year international career that transformed the landscape of Indian women’s cricket.
Ravi Kalpana, who represented India in seven ODIs between 2015 and 2016, has been a significant figure in Andhra cricket. Her journey from regional cricket to the national team continues to inspire young players from the state, including Arundhati Reddy, S Meghana and N Shree Charani.