New Delhi, Dec 04
The acrimonious end to Indian women’s coach Ramesh Powar’s tenure on Monday split the women’s cricket team with T20I captain Harmanpreet Kaur and her deputy Smriti Mandhana demanding his return despite senior player Mithali Raj’s falling-out with him.
The Committee of Administrators (CoA) chairman Vinod Rai said Harmanpreet and Smriti have backed Powar to continue as the coach till 2021. Powar’s interim tenure ended on November 30 and BCCI has already invited fresh applications for the job. Powar is free to re-apply.
“Yes, they have written a letter stating that they want Ramesh Powar to continue,” Rai said. Though Harmanpreet and Smriti are for Powar’s extension, it is learnt that Ekta Bisht and Mansi Joshi are against his reinstatement along with ODI captain Mithali.
Powar’s term ended a week after India lost the semifinals of the World T20I to England. The team management dropped Mithali for the knockout fixture, triggering a huge controversy.
Mithali went on to accuse Powar and the CoA member Diana Edulji of trying to destroy her career and having a bias against her. Powar, on his part, accused Mithali of threatening to retire midway into the World T20I after being denied the opening slot and creating chaos in the team.
