The captain of India’s women’s Test and ODI team is looking forward to work with Powar, who was suspended after a spat between the two during the 2018 T20 World Cup.
The highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket, Mithali, was appointed as the Indian team captain in 2003 and since then she has led the team to two World Cup finals in 2005 and 2017.
During the 2018 T20 World Cup semi-finals, she was dropped from the team for not adapting to the team’s plan and also because she was playing for personal milestones as stated by Powar in a letter to the BCCI. India lost the game against England, and WV Raman replaced Powar.
In 2019, Mithali announced her retirement from the shorter format to focus on bringing back the One-day World Cup home.
“After representing India in T20 internationals since 2006, I wish to retire from T20Is to focus my energies on readying myself for the 2021 one-day World Cup,”
she said in a BCCI press statement.
After two years, Ramesh Powar, the former Indian cricketer, has been reappointed as the head coach, and Mithali is confident about working with him ahead of India’s tour to England, leaving aside the controversies in the past.
“The past is gone by. You cannot go back. I am sure he (Ramesh Powar) will come up with plans and we together will steer the ship. We will work in tandem and build a very strong team for the future, especially with the World Cup scheduled next year.”
Mithali told The Hindu.
Team India begin their all-format England tour on June 16th. It starts with a test match, a format they will feature for the first time after seven years against the same opponent at Bristol County Ground. Mithali, who loves the purest format of the game, is looking forward to the tour and feels that the team should get to play more tests. After this tour, the team will travel to Australia to play their first pink-ball test.
“For all the youngsters in the team, and even for someone like me who played a Test match seven years ago, there is no baggage to carry. We have not played the format for such a long time and hence can play with an open mind,”
“It is good to see that this Test will be followed by a pink-ball Test in Australia later this year. My personal opinion is that we should have continuity in playing Test matches.”
said Mithali.
