Mithali Raj and Ravi Kalpana to have stands named after them at Vizag stadium

Former India captain Mithali Raj and wicketkeeper-batter Ravi Kalpana will have stand named after them at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam. The stands will be unveiled on October 12 ahead of India's women's ODI World Cup match against Australia.

The decision was taken after India opener Smriti Mandhana made the suggestion to Andhra Pradesh IT minister Nara Lokesh during the Breaking the Boundaries chat in August.

"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.

"Smriti Mandhana's thoughtful suggestion captured a wider public sentiment," minister Lokesh said. "Translating that idea into immediate action reflects our collective commitment to gender parity and to acknowledging the trailblazers of women's cricket."

Raj, a former India captain and a stalwart of women's cricket, holds the record for the most runs in women's ODIs. She scored 7805 runs from 232 ODIs at an average of 50.68 with seven centuries.

In 89 T20Is, she scored 2364 runs with 17 fifties at 37.52, while in 12 Tests, Raj scored 699 runs in 19 innings at 43.68 with a highest score of 214, the best for an India batter in the format. She retired from all formats of the game in 2022, bringing down the curtain on a career that spanned 23 years.

Kalpana played seven ODIs between 2015 and 2016, and her rise to the India team has inspired several cricketers from the region, such as Arundhati Reddy, S Meghana and N Shree Charani.