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

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.

"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."

"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."

"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. 

“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.