[Watch] Indian cricket legend Mithali Raj dazzles in her ultra-stylish avatar as Femina cover star

Mithali Raj deserves to be counted among the greatest sportspersons this country has ever produced. Making her debut in 1999, the leading run-scorer in women's cricket is about to complete 20 years in the international circuit. She is the youngest cricketer to score an international hundred and achieved the feat at the supposedly tender age of 16. In 2017, under her captaincy, the Indian women's team achieved international renown by reaching the final of the Women's World Cup and narrowly lost to the hosts.

Now, the 36 year old veteran is appearing in an all-new capacity – as the cover girl of Femina magazine. The publication put out a video of the cricketer in her photo shoot sporting various stylish outfits. This is not the first time that this side of Mithali has come to light. But becoming a Femina cover girl must be a unique experience.

Last year, this magazine had featured four of India's best female performers in the 2018 Asian Games on cover. These were: shooter Rahi Sarnobut, sprinter Hima Das, wrestler Vinesh Phogat and heptathlete Swapna Burman.

While the Indian women's cricket team had reached the final of the World Cup in 2005 as well, they didn't get the kind of attention and praise which they deserved. But in 2017, women's cricket reached new heights and the likes of Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Jhulan Goswami along with their captain became household names.

In the video uploaded by Femina, the ace batswoman can be seen in both a highly-fashionable look as well as a more casual and sporty one. She talks about her journey to becoming a cricketer and the support that her mother provided. She also revealed that her mother wanted her to become a classical dancer. The poise and grace showed by the Indian captain in this photoshoot may well be something she picked up from her dancing lessons.