Mithali Raj accuses Ramesh Powar of personal agenda and Diana Edulji of bias

11/27/2018

After Diana Edulji made a statement that CoA wouldn’t involve itself in the Mithali Raj non-selection issue, the latter has launched a scathing attack on the CoA member and coach Ramesh Powar. While stating her displeasure, Raj alleges that 'few people in power are out to destroy me'.

Earlier yesterday, Edulji stated that CoA will not interfere in the Mithali Raj omission controversy, but at the same time, supported the team management’s decision of taking a bold decision. Raj, who won two player of the match awards in the two matches she played in the tournament, was left out of the team despite being passed fit as India went on to lose the semi-final by eight wickets. While Harmanpreet Kaur defended the team management’s decision by saying it was a bold call, it certainly offended Mithali and in a letter to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri and head of cricket operations Saba Karim, she revealed the instances in the dressing room which humiliated her.

"For the first time in a 20-year long career, I felt deflated, depressed and let down. I am forced to think if my services to my country are of any value to a few people in power who are out to destroy me and break my confidence,” she wrote in the letter.

"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. I wanted to win the world cup for my country and it hurts me because we lost a golden opportunity.

"To put things in perspective, I have always reposed faith in Diana Edulji and have always respected her and her position as a member of the COA, Never did I think she will use her position against me, more after hearing what all I had to go through in the Caribbean as I had spoken to her about it. Her brazen support in the press with regard to the decision of my benching in the semifinal of the T20 World Cup has left me deeply distressed, more because she knows the real facts having spoken to me."

Stating a series of instances, she revealed that she was humiliated by Powar and the coach didn’t talk to her even in the nets which forced her to sit with the team manager to sort out the issue. As per Mithali, Power regretted that in the meeting and stated that he would behave properly, but the situation went from bad to worse.

"For instance, walking off if I am sitting anywhere around, watching in the nets when others bat but choosing to walk away when I am batting in nets if I try to go up to him to talk to start looking into his phone and keep walking. It was embarrassing and very evident to everyone that I was being humiliated. Yet I never lost my cool. Finding the situation completely out of control and realising that it is important to resolve issues as it affects the team I reached out to the team manager and conveyed my grievances."

"After the meeting, his behaviour turned worse. He would not even acknowledge me. To him, I didn't exist in the team. If I was around he would immediately move away from the scene, if I looked to wish him he would deliberately start looking in other direction. He continued to behave badly as I have already informed you yesterday. It appeared to me that for him the meeting had hurt his ego."

Mithali also added that she was asked by Powar not to show up at the ground during the game against Australia.

"In the evening after the team meeting before the Australia game, Ramesh rings up in my room and instructs me not to come to the ground as the media will be there," she alleged.

"I was taken aback as to what media has to do with me being with the team. I was told I was not to be with my own team in one of our biggest games. I was shell shocked.

“Coming to the semi finals, usually Ramesh announces the team a day before or on the day of the game before we enter the ground but it was unusual that on the day of the semis, he did not announce the team. It is when Harman walked to toss, he came running to me and said that they were going with the same team. It meant the whole team knew who were playing and it was just me who was not aware. Also, when the team was getting ready to field in the second innings, it is customary that even those who aren't playing should join the team huddle as it has always been the norm in our team.

“But to insult me that day, he sent a word through the manager to tell that it was only the playing eleven that can join in the huddle and the rest can go back to dugout making us feel as outcasts. It was worrying and insulting because the coach was out to destroy and humiliate me. I couldn't control my tears having given it my all for 20 years. It seemed my efforts had no value.

While Powar is expected to meet Johri and Karim on Wednesday, SportsCafe tried to reach out to him, but he refused to make any comments on the matter.

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