What started as row over Mithali Raj's exclusion from Indian women's team has now become a full-blown war of words.
The controversy surrounding India's most experienced player Mithali Raj continues to rock Indian women's cricket. What started as a debate over team selection has now become a full-blown war of words.
After being excluded from India’s playing 11 in the ICC Women’s World T20 semifinal against England, Mithali Raj has now blamed it all on coach Ramesh Powar and former cricketer Diana Eduljji. It also seems that the fight is not limited to Raj vs team management but has also become a part of the power struggle at the top of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Here's what has been happening the whole matter so far.
1. Mithali Raj benched
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At toss, ahead of India's crucial semifinal match against England at ICC Women's T20, captain Harmanpreet Kaur announced that Mithali Raj will not be in the playing XI for the semifinal. The decision got mixed reactions at first with some praising the bold step while others questioning the call. After, India lost the one-sided semifinal by 8 wickets, Harmanpreet defended her call saying 'it was done in team's best interests'.
However, the the voices questioning Raj's exclusion kept growing as it became a hot topic on social media. (Image: PTI)
2. Annisha Gupta's rant
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Annisha Gupta, known to many as Mithali Raj's manager, fuelled the controversy with Twitter tirade where she called Harmanpreet a “manipulative, lying, immature, undeserving captain”. Gupta said Raj’s exclusion had to do a lot with "politics” and not the sport.
While Gupta later clarfied that she wasn not Mithali's manager and the tweets were her personal opinion. She, however, said her comments came from "the right place" since the "unfair treatment" meted out to Mithali Raj reeked of favouritism. (Image: AFP)
3. Team meeting repot leaked
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Meanwhile, the Times of India claimed to have accessed the team manager's report of the Indian team management meeting where the call to drop Mithali was taken. It claimed that the decision was taken after watching the Antigua pitch's behavoiur during the first semifinal between Australia and West Indies. It also said that selector Sudha Shah was present in the meeting with Harmanpreet, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and coach Ramesh Powar. (Image: File Photo)
4. BCCI calls players for meeting
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While BCCI expressed concern over the leaking of team manager's report, it was soon reported that CoA could summon Harmanpreet Kaur and Mithali Raj for a meeting. It was also reported that Vinod Rai-led CoA had asked for Mithali Raj’s fitness reports during the World T20. (Image: Twitter)
5. Diana Edulji defends team selection
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A member of the CoA and former India Captain Diana Edulji spoke out in defence of the team management and said that the selection decisions could not be questioned. While Edulji denied players being called for a meeting, BCCI CEO Rahul Johri admitted that the players had been called to speak to the board members. (Image: File Photo)
6. Harmanpreet, Mithali meet BCCI officials
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Harmanpreet Kaur, Mithali Raj and team manager Trupti Bhattacharya seperately met top BCCI officials Rahul Johri and Saba Karim on Monday to share their views on the controversy. Coach Ramesh Powar is expected to meet Johri and Karim on Wednesday. (Image: File Photo)
7. Mithali Raj's email explodes
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Mithali Raj shot an email to Johri and Karim after meeting the BCCI officials. The email was soon leaked to media. In the email, Raj accused Diana Edulji and Ramesh Powar of bias for dropping her from the team. Raj accused coach Ramesh Powar of 'humiliating' her and Committee of Administrators (CoA) member Diana Edulji of 'using her position against her'.
“I would also like to point out that I have nothing against the T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur except for the fact that her call to support the decision of the coach to leave me out of the eleven was baffling and hurtful,” Raj wrote. (Image: PTI file Photo)
8. Ramesh Powar files report
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Ramesh Powar submitted a report to BCCI in which he accused Mithali Raj of being selfish, throwing tantrums and creating chaos. Powar, in his report, alleged that Mithali Raj threatened to retire midway through the ICC Women's World T20 after being denied the opening slot. He also accused her for putting herself before team and country. He also questioned her fitness and attitude in the report.
9. Mithali Raj posts emotional tweet
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Mithali Raj responded to the report a day letter with a tweet. The veteran cricketer wrote that she was deeply saddened and hurt by the aspersions cast on her. She said that her commitment to the game, 20 years of playing for the country and hard work were being questioned. She ended with saying that it was the darkest day of her life.
I'm deeply saddened & hurt by the aspersions cast on me. My commitment to the game & 20yrs of playing for my country.The hard work, sweat, in vain.
— Mithali Raj (@M_Raj03) November 29, 2018
Today, my patriotism doubted, my skill set questioned & all the mud slinging- it's the darkest day of my life. May god give strength
(Image: PTI)
