Former India captain and batting superstar Mithali Raj has been named the mentor of the Gujarat Giants in the upcoming inaugural edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL).

Raj, who holds every major batting record for India, will be a huge presence in the Giants' dressing room where she can offer experience from her 20-plus year international career.

Raj will be joined by an exciting coaching staff including Head Coach Rachael Haynes, bowling coach Nooshin Al Khadeer, batting coach Tushar Arothe, and fielding coach Gavan Twining.

Raj spoke highly of them, saying, "The likes of Rachael Haynes, Nooshin Al Khadeer, Tushar Arothe, and Gavan Twining will certainly take the performance of the team notches up. Not only have they carved a niche for themselves in their roles, but their stories of resilience will be an inspiration for the team."

Raj herself received high praise from Adani Enterprises Director Pranav Adani: "Mithali Raj is a role model for the young generation, and we are delighted to have such an inspirational athlete on board to mentor our women's cricket team. We believe that the presence of international sporting heroes like Mithali will attract new talent not just into cricket but also into every other sport."

The WPL 2023 auction will take place on February 13, with the league to be played from March 4 to 26. The league will consist of 22 matches held at Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium and DY Patil Stadium.