Harmanpreet, Smriti urge BCCI to continue with coach Powar

A day after the Board of Control for Cricket in India 'surreptitiously' started the hunt for a new head coach of the Indian women’s cricket team, T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur and her deputy Smriti Mandhana urged the BCCI to retain coach Ramesh Powar, thereby indicating a deep divide within the team.

Powar's interim tenure ended on November 30 and the BCCI has already invited fresh applications for the job. Powar is eligible to reapply.

The emails were addressed to Saba Karim, general manager, cricket operations, and copied to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, CoA members Vinod Rai and Diana Edulji and BCCI acting president C.K. Khanna, acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary, treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry, national selector Sudha Shah and team manager Trupti Bhattacharya

The veteran player’s exclusion from the semifinal against England at the T20 World Cup had exposed the fissures between the duo. Raj’s email to BCCI officials was leaked wherein she alleged that coach Powar had humiliated her and also accused him and CoA member Diana Edulji of being biased against her.

Powar, in response, had accused Raj of threatening to retire midway into the T20 World Cup after being denied the opening slot and creating chaos in the team.

Kaur and Mandhana spoke of Powar’s positive influence on all players and how a change of coach now would prove detrimental to the interests of the team. The duo also reiterated that the differences between the warring Mithali Raj and Powar can be resolved amicably and called for a truce.

"I, as the T20 captain and ODI vice-captain, is appealing before you to allow Powar to further continue as our team coach. There are hardly 15 months for the next T20 World Cup and a month to go for the New Zealand tour. The way he has transformed us as a team, I feel no reason to replace him. Sir Ramesh Powar not only improved us as players but did motivate us to set targets and challenge our own limits. He has changed the face of Indian women's cricket team both technically and strategically. He has inculcated in us the sense of winning (sic)," Harmanpreet wrote.

"Our defeat in the semi-finals was very disheartening and it brings us all to feel more miserable to see how the controversies has stained our image and questioned the entire cricket fraternity," Harmanpreet said.

She also said that dropping Raj was a decision of the team management.

"With regard to the exclusion of Mithali Raj, Sir Ramesh Powar was not single handedly responsible. The decision was entirely based on the cricketing logics and observations from the past. Keeping in mind the need of the hour where me, Smriti, the selector (Sudha Shah) and the coach together in the presence of our manager felt that we should go ahead with the winning combination.

"And I believe it should have come to your understanding that the intent was not personal but entirely based for the welfare of the team."

Harmanpreet said that a change of coach now will hamper the team's growth.

"Another change of coach will effect our growth and we will have to start from the scratch. And whatever may be the reason for Ramesh Sir's and Mithali Raj's conflicts, they should solve it across the table like a family and call it truce. This will provide more sense and security to them and the entire team."

Mandhana, too, termed the exclusion of Raj from the playing XI a unanimous decision of the team management. Echoing Kaur’s views, the prolific Indian opener said, "Since the introduction of Powar, he along with the support staff has boosted our confidence as a team which has helped us win 14 consecutive T20 matches. He changed the intent of the players and gave everyone confidence."

She underlined the importance of everyone being on the same page and “believed any differences can be amicably resolved with discussion”.

BCCI had announced that a new women’s coach would be finalised by the Cricket Advisory Committee. With latest turn of events, it remains to be seen whether the CAC’s services will be required at all.