Indian women’s cricket team head coach Ramesh Powar on Tuesday (June 1) said that he agrees with captain Mithali Raj’s opinion of moving on from their controversial public fall-out in 2018, as they are now set for the new journey together, leaving for a multi-format tour of England on Thursday.
India’s ODI and Test captain Mithali has had not-so-good moments with Powar during his past stint with India Women side after she was unexpectedly dropped from the semi-final of the 2018 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and eventually former Indian spinner was removed from the post three years back.
After that, the bitterness between Powar and Raj came to the fore with the skipper accusing the former cricketer of ruing her career as well as being biased to stun one and all.
Well now, Powar has yet again returned to the help as India head coach and he alongside Mithali wants to move on from that public fall-out back in 2018 with the two aiming to take India to greater heights.
Recently, Mithali told PTI about “moving on” from the bitter incident and now Powar is also agreed with her, saying he wants to stop those talks about what happened in 2018.
Powar said on the eve of India’s departure to England, “I would like to stop the speculation (on) what is happening. We interacted well; otherwise, I wouldn't have come into the women's cricket. There are larger goals, bigger picture, a responsibility, and an opportunity.”
The 43-year-old has further insisted that whatever happened three years ago will not deter him or Mithali from their goal of winning cricket matches for India.
He added, “I don’t think we are going to go back on small things where we are professional enough to move on and everyone should move on. …and I think you all know me, I have been with NCA, I have been with Rahul Dravid, so you know (how) Rahul disciplined is (before) a series.”
The coach further said that the resumption of women’s Test cricket for India is an incredible opportunity for the girls and take their game to next level. He continued, “This is a great opportunity for me, Mithali, for the whole group, to take women’s cricket to another level, where the BCCI is supporting us.”
Sitting by Power’s side, Mithali also retargeted her comments regarding the 2018 fall-out with the coach ahead of India’s tour of England for one-off Test, three ODIS, and as many as T20Is starting June 16.
She signed off by saying, “Can we move on from that? Because it has been three years, we are in 2021, we should be looking forward to many more series and if we need to get behind the past.”
(With PTI Inputs)
