DUBAI: Sania Mirza's latest acquisition, a mentor for the Royal Challengers Bangalore team in the inaugural Women's Premier League, which began on March 4 in Mumbai, provided the answer to the "what next" question.
After withdrawing late on Tuesday from the Dubai Duty Free Tennis championship, 36-year-old Mirza is eager to lead the next generation of Indian champions.
She stated of her appointment with the RCB, "This has nothing to do with cricket." Never before have these younger girls been in positions where they had millions of dollars at stake.
The Hyderabadi, who was once ranked No. "Many of them haven't been on TV, haven't done shoots for advertisements," the number one and six-time major winner in the most popular of women's sports stated.
"Because there are so many expectations placed on you, it is easy to become distracted as well as to tens up and feel the pressure. I'll be able to tell them about my experiences and make them feel more at ease during the change. For a lot of people, playing for teams that have invested so much money is a huge deal."
"It's fantastic because it inspires me to perform a task that I have always wanted to. I can share my efforts to improve women's sports and increase their acceptance for the future in the subcontinent.
Mirza, who has been at the forefront of women's issues, has been asked a lot about being a Muslim woman in sports. She said that while religion was a personal matter, her accomplishments showed that there were many opportunities.
"I don't really think, every time I step on the court, I'm this Muslim woman trying to do this. I don't think a Hindu or Christian would do that. She stated, "I don't look at it that way."