Mithali Raj backtracks from statement on retirement

India's campaign in the ICC Women's World Cup 2022 ended on Sunday with a defeat against South Africa in their final match on the league stage, legendary India captain Mithali Raj made a U-turn saying it's not the right time to take a call on her future just after the team's exit from the tournament.

Indian Women's cricket team's dream of winning the 50-over World Cup title has been extended by at least 3 more years and now the 39-year-old skipper has an unfinished task at her hand and she denied to call her this last assignment when she was asked about future plans after the exit from the World Cup.

"I've not really planned much about the future. For us, as players and athletes, when you have a disappointment in a campaign that ends like this in a World Cup where you have really prepared very hard over a year, it takes time for players to accept and then move on from there to whatever the future holds for each and every player," said captain Mithali Raj in the post-match press conference.

"It would not be appropriate for me to comment anything on that, considering the kind of game we just played and as I said, the emotions are still there. So, it needs to settle down before I could have clarity on that and give an answer to that," she added.

Mithali is the third cricketer (male and female) to play in six World Cups after Sachin Tendulkar and Javed Miandad.

She had earlier hinted about her retirement, saying that "one cycle of life is complete" for her as she looks to end her "journey". She, however, said on Sunday that she would decide on the future of her career when "emotions are under control".

Talking about the veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami, who was ruled out of the match against South Africa Women with a side strain suffered in training, she said, "I'm sure she would have made a difference because with so many years of experience, playing different teams on different surfaces and in similar pressure situations. Having a senior player like her to lead the bowling attack, clearly it would have made a difference."

"But having said that, I'm sure she might be feeling a little disappointed that the last game of the Indian team she could not be part of, but then that's how it is. She had a side strain during the training session and she couldn't recover," she added.