Though they faltered at the semi-finals, it was a good show by Indian eves at the T20 World Cup in West Indies. Yet the dropping of seasoned campaigner Mithali Raj for the crucial semi-finals against England and the subsequent loss has garnered attention. Interestingly, Indian girls even beat world champions Australia in the league stages. Sadly, the team is receiving more brickbats than bouquets. Dropping of Mithali Raj has become a topic of debate and it ended the career of Ramesh Powar as coach.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday invited applications for the post of coach for the national women’s team. While Powar – who was named the interim coach in July – is eligible to apply for the post once again, it is unlikely that he would get another term in the wake of the recent controversy that has rocked the team. The former India cricketer has been accused by Mithali of having humiliated her. For his part, Powar reportedly accused Mithali of threatening to leave the tournament if she was not allowed to open against Pakistan. He also reportedly communicated to the BCCI that the veteran cricketer was ‘difficult to manage’.
Though we have a bunch of talented cricketers, controversies such as these render a blow to their confidence on the field. They had every chance of creating history by lifting the trophy. Sadly, the journey ended in an anti-climax. Hopefully, all things will get sorted out soon and the girls bounce back to continue their journey towards glory.