On the eve of the team's departure to New Zealand to play three ODIs and three T20Is — the ODIs are part of the Women's World Championship
"Well done, skipper," said Indian women's cricket team's new head coach WV Raman soon after meeting the press along with the ODI captain Mithali Raj here on Sunday.
It was Raman's way of appreciating Mithali for handling with aplomb the media she was meeting for the first time after the unsavoury incidents during the women's World T20 in the West Indies last November, when she was benched for the crucial semifinal against Australia.
On the eve of the team's departure to New Zealand to play three ODIs and three T20Is — the ODIs are part of the Women's World Championship where the points will help in qualification for the 2021 Women's World Cup – Mithali put up a brave front and tackled the questions surrounding the controversy like she has done in accumulating 6,550 runs in 197 ODIs over the last 18 years.
"It (NZ tour) is a fresh start. Coming into the new year, this is the first series, and yes we have moved on from the controversy. Right now, the focus is definitely on the New Zealand series. As a captain, as a team, we understand the importance of the points system, how important it is for us to gain entry into the 2021 World Cup. And we know where we stand right now in the table. This series is very crucial in that perspective," the 36-year-old Mithali said.
Having gone through what she, at that time, termed as the toughest phase of her career, did the thought of quitting T20Is cross her mind? Mithali said: "I never thought of quitting because whatever happened was off the field. Whenever I take that decision (to quit), it will be because of my own reasoning about my own game."
Mithali said that the Indian women's T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur and she have patched up and have moved on from the fiasco, which she believed will be pushed to the backseat by the team's encouraging performances in New Zealand.
"Profile of the sport fully depends on how the players perform. It definitely did hamper women's cricket in a not-so-good-way. When a lot has been spoken about non-cricketing things, it's not good. Now we are getting an opportunity where we can again perform and let people talk about the team's performance. That will only enhance the profile of the sport," said Mithali.
Asked what difference 53-year-old Raman, who has played 11 Tests and 27 ODIs between 1988 and 1997 and who has coached at various levels from India U-19 to the different state Ranji Trophy teams and also in the IPL, could make, Mithali said: "When a coach comes in the national side, we as a team are very vocal and expressive as to what is required for the benefit of the team. The coach and the players will have to be on the same page, because that's very important.
"I have not trained under him but met him a couple of times. If you see his credentials, his experience and expertise goes a long way. He has played (at the highest level) and coached various teams at various levels. So he comes with that and there are no expectations as such when you have credentials like that. You are only positive that the coach will make a big difference to the team, getting in to this year and to the series."
The Indian women's team tour of NZ coincides with the men's in that they play the ODIs a day after the men's, with the T20Is being double headers.
INDIA IN NZ
ODIs: Jan 24: 1st ODI, Napier; Jan 29: 2nd ODI, Mt Maunganui; Feb 1: 3rd ODI, Hamilton
T20Is: Feb 6: 1st T20I, Wellington; Feb 8: 2nd T20I, Auckland; Feb 10: 3rd T20I, Hamilton
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