INDIA WOMEN IN NEW ZEALAND, 2019

I hope Raman isn't criticised for dropping Mithali - Powar

by Gaurav Gupta • Published on

Ramesh Powar had faced a lot of criticism for leaving out Mithali Raj from the eleven during the World T20 semifinal © Getty

India's decision to bench ODI skipper from the first two T20 Internationals against New Zealand seems to have left one man, who took the same call a few months, feeling vindicated. Former coach Ramesh Powar faced a lot of criticism for dropping India's ODI skipper Mithali Raj from the women's World T20 semifinal against England in the West Indies in November. But the experienced batter continued to be left out of the eleven in the T20 format under the regime of new coach WV Raman, which Powar feels is part of the coach's vision regarding the future of the team.

"I don't know what exactly is happening, but he did what exactly I did. The coach must be having some vision about how to take this team forward. You can't play forever. As a coach and captain, or the team management, you need to take a call about how to take the team forward," Powar told TOI on Saturday (February 9).

Explaining the rationale behind his decision which generated a fair bit of controversy but was backed by India's T20 skipper and vice captain, the former India offspinner said: "When I or the team management took that decision regarding Mithali, I wasn't thinking about just the T20 World Cup. If the same team, which had beaten Australia in the league stage without the senior player, would have won the semifinal, and that team was almost under-25 in terms of age, it would have given them a huge amount of confidence.

"So I was thinking ahead. My vision was that if we had won that game, it would have taken the team places in the future. In two to five years, these girls would have developed into a great team. That was my thought process."

Powar said it was apparent to him that new coach Raman was applying the same logic which he had used as a coach when he took that controversial decision. "He's doing the same thing. He's thinking ahead. There's a vision. everyone has a vision. A coach has to think about how to take his team forward. When I took this decision, I got a lot of criticism for it. I hope WV (Raman) gets a fair deal, and people don't get negative about it, and look at the bigger picture.

"He's a newly-appointed coach. He needs some time to think about how he wants to take the team forward. He has started his vision. There's no option but to think ahead. It's not about Mithali, it's about forging a combination which you think is right. He must be planning to build a team for the next T20 World Cup," Powar felt.

Speaking about his coaching philosophy and where he picked up his methods, Powar said: "I've been coached by the likes of (Ramakant) Achrekar and Vasu (Paranjpe) sir. They backed talent which deserved to be there. I try to do my job honestly, just like them. If I try to see what would benefit me, then I wouldn't be a good coach. I have to think what's in the benefit of the team now, and in two years' time.

"If I wanted to be the India women's team coach forever, I would have looked to maintain a good rapport with all the senior players - Mithali, Harmanpreet and Smriti. But that isn't in my nature. I'm a result-oriented person, and for that, you have to go through a process. You've to take some tough calls at times."

Powar now wants the BCCI to back Raman's decision in this case. "I hope he'll be treated nicely when he comes back. When you're involved in a series or tournament, it seems everything is fine. I too had no clue about what will happen when I was in Antigua. Once you land here, you come to know the impact of your decision. I hope Raman isn't criticised for this call, otherwise it will be a never-ending process. Every new coach will have to go through it," Powar concluded.

© TNN

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