New Delhi: Former spinner Ramesh Powar replaced WV Raman on Thursday as head coach of the Indian women’s cricket team. He regained the position more than two years after being sacked after a bitter fall with ODI captain Mithali Raj.
The 42-year-old was recommended by the Madan Lal-led Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) after interviewing eight candidates, including Raman.
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announces that Ramesh Powar has been appointed as the head coach of Team India (Senior Women). The BCCI advertised for the position and received more than 35 applications, ‘reads a statement from BCCI.
The others in doubt were former India wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra and four female candidates, including former chief selector Hemlata Kala.
It remains to be seen how Powar will work with Mithali, who accused him of prejudice after the T20 team led by the Harmanpreet Kaur dropped the veteran fixture for the everyday World Cup semi-final against England.
Mithali claimed in a letter to the BCCI after the event that Powar “wanted to destroy and humiliate her”. Powar hit back, claiming that Mithali ‘threw a lot of anger and created chaos in the team’.
After being removed from his position in the women’s team, he proved himself as a coach and led Mumbai to the Vijay Hazare trophy earlier this year after the domestic giants failed miserably in the T20 competition.
Raman, who replaced Powar in December 2018, now finds himself in a similar situation.
The former batsman from India coached India to the T20 final of the World Cup last year, but it seems that the ODI and T20 series loss to the visiting South African team cost him in March.
This was the team’s first assignment in 12 months after a long hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Powar’s biggest challenge will be to prepare the team for next year’s ODI World Cup in New Zealand.
His first assignment is a full-fledged tour of the UK starting with India’s first Test in seven years from 16 June against England.
The team will also tour Australia before the World Cup.
Source: Telangana Today