"Hope Mithali Raj stops blackmail and puts coaches under pressure," Ramesh Powar says in an email to BCCI officials

India's women's cricket head coach Ramesh Powar on Wednesday accused veteran Mithali Raj of provoking divisions in the team at the recently concluded T20 World Tournament. In a 10-page report written to BCCI general manager Rahul Johri and general manager of cricket operations Saba Karim, Powar accused the 35-year-old of "blackmail and pressure from coaches".

"I hope that Mithali Raj will stop blackmail, put the coaches under pressure, but also put his interest before that of his team." I hope that she will review the situation in her together and will work to improve the cricket of Indian women, "he wrote.

The former Indian allrounder added that the thresher was fighting for personal goals instead of focusing on her role in the team. "(She) ignored her role and fought for her own goals. Failure to maintain the momentum that put additional pressure on the other hitter, "he said.

Here are excerpts from Ramesh Powar's letter:

Excerpts from Ramesh Powar's letter to Rahul Johri, CEO of BCCI, and Saba Karim, General Manager of Cricket Operations –

"Mithali Raj – a senior player of the team. Minimum entries in team meetings are not a word of appreciation after finishing at the top of the table.

Can not understand and adapt to the team plan. Ignored his role and beat for his own milestones. Lack of momentum that put additional pressure on the other hitter. As a coach, she worked very hard to tackle her power strikes, batting skills and running between wickets in almost every session.

In training matches, she struggled to score quickly because the wickets were weak and slow bounce. The intention was missing. Can not bend over and shoot shots because of his limited abilities in terms of skills and fitness.

We wanted to make the most of the power play, because the power play was the most important phase of the game (considering the slow terrain) to score big with a hard ball and take the challenge of scoring against spinners.

Logically, she was told that she would fight in the middle order and she agreed too. (Before the match of New Zealand)

Mithali's lack of intention to score early in training matches prompted us to start with Taniya Bhatiya (first division against New Zealand), who always showed intent every time she hit . We used Taniya and Hemlatha on the power play against New Zealand, which earned us 24 points in 13 balls. It is not always individual milestones, but strategies and team executions. (team first)

After the game in New Zealand, we had a practice session where Mithali showed anger and attitude, which was disappointing.

During the selection meeting where we chose 11 for the match against Pakistan, instead of appreciating the team's efforts against the New Zealand selector, asked us why Mithali was not open. / lower order. What selector said she can only open or can not be in the team. As team management, we convinced her to be a key player and we will use her experience as needed. Many young players consider her as a model and her downfall will hinder the team environment.

Before the game against Pakistan, Pushkar Sawant, video analyst of the match, came to my room with the news that his field coach, Mr. Biju George, had told him that Mithali was unhappy not to change the stick order and not allow him to open the match in Pakistan. She packed her bags to leave with the announcement of the retreat in the morning. I was shocked to understand why? The team had just beaten one of the best teams (New Zealand) and Mithali Raj, a legend still complains of his batting position (which she accepted) and threatens to leave. (Instead, should be happy about the positive start of Team India's World Cup campaign)

I was saddened and confused by his attitude. It gave me the impression that for Mithali Raj, she came first, then to India. I called the team leader early in the morning and discussed the matter. I did not communicate that to the captain and the vice-captain, because I did not want them to lose the center of their most important game, India vs Pakistan, of the group stages. At breakfast the day of the match, I told Harman & Smriti that we would open with Mithali and they agreed. She also entrusted Mithali with opening her heats against Pakistan.

Against Pakistan, in order to preserve the favorable team environment, we opened with Mithali Raj under the pressure of the itinerant selector and the threatening behavior of Mithali (his retirement) to return home if they did not have the possibility to open the sleeves.

Against Pakistan, chasing 134 with 10 points in advance, 6 more starts, we were 48 without defeat. From 6th to 15th, Mithali played 24 balls and scored only 25 points (no intention to score quickly), which hurt us in the number of points. The entire batting team was confused and angry as it was trying to do by scoring fifty and not respecting the team's plan. (dominance)

After the match in Pakistan, she was moving with an attitude. Make his own group with selected few players sitting away from the team. As a head coach, I was very disappointed and saddened to see a legend like this split a team into two groups.

After the match against Pakistan, Mithali asked me to meet the team director, Trupthy Bhattacharya, which obliged me. She confided that she was not very good player for this format, compared to the format of one day when I convinced her that she is the most experienced player of all. the team and that she can easily adapt as she had scored a good hundred goals against Sri Lanka, batting in the middle order. in the ODI series. (Which reminded me that she (captain) did not take the field for the first time after the bat and that we lost the match because she knew all the bowling plans that she did not share with the vice-captain Harmanpreet because of his serene relationship). She agreed to fight in the middle order after hearing the team plan from me.

We still wanted her to give him an additional opportunity to prove his abilities as a novice hitter against Ireland to execute the team's strategies of hitting with intent but against a weak attack from bowling in Ireland, she managed to throw the ball 50 (56 balls and 51 points). and played 25 points which added extra pressure and cost us Smriti, the wicket and Jemimah's net debit.

She again questioned the dominance plan after the match.

After the match against Ireland, as a senior player, he showed no interest in consulting the team management to play or rest in a very important match against the team. Australia.

Physio informed us that she was not available for selection due to a slight fever and mild knee injuries, which she recovered in one day (quite strange).

As a coach, I asked her to take some rest at the hotel so that she could recover and recover quickly, but she did not listen and arrived. on the ground for the match of Australia, which was surprising.

When we finished the last game of the League in Guyana, we called the team members, including the support staff, to thank and appreciate the Indians present. Mithali was reluctant to come down.

After reaching Antigua for the semifinals, I had created 2 groups for the reduced intensity workout sessions. The 1st group consisted of 5 players for specific baton skills and another group for warm-up, team play and staging.

Mithali was in the 2nd group but she wanted to come with us in the first group. I asked him to come with the 2nd group to warm up, skip the team game and come in for the batting skills with the training bowlers since everyone was involved in the team game. (she was supposed to play with the team after defeating what she did not do) I stayed and I watched her for 10 minutes, then I went to the floor to check the progress of the session in the stadium. Mr. Vikas Pandit was there to oversee his session. I came back with physio to watch her again. After finishing the physiotherapy baton and me, we asked her how she felt when it was her first net session after a break. She answered with a nod, as if our question did not matter to her.

One day before the semifinal as I headed for the breakfast room, the team director, Mrs. Trupthy Bhattacharya, wanted to talk to me, which I forced. she looked very tense.

In the words of the team leader, she received an abusive and threatening call from a person called Nusheen (former player) who said that what you were doing with Mithali while she was crying all night and that her mother Nusheen worries about the threat that you will all suffer the consequences.

The director of the team, panicked, took physio to his room to watch her. As described by the team manager, Mithali wanted to go home because she was very upset that her coach did not take care of a legendary player like her.

She launched many crises and created chaos. The team director and physio did their best to calm her down.

After hearing all this from Mithali, the team leader came to see me and described the whole episode. We immediately called Mr. Saba Karim (General Manager, Cricket Operations, BCCI) to inform him of the case. Saba sir told us to settle the matter amicably. Saba sir also told us to focus on a crucial and important semifinal match of the World Cup.

After a while, Mithali Raj sent a message to the team manager's phone, explaining that she did not want to talk to the coach.

His irresponsible behavior took me a long time because I had to talk to a few players about preparations for all the important semi-final matches, which could not happen.

As I had to prepare team meeting notes, I took a leave.

Mr. Biju George (field coach) indicated that Mithali Raj was not interested in exercises with an intensity that hampers the intensity and pace of the session. He tried to convince her every time but she did not improve. In the match, she could not play outside the circle or at any important position due to poor agility and limited playoff skills.

I hope that Mithali Raj will stop blackmail and put the coaches under pressure, but will also stop putting his interest before that of the team.

I hope she will look at the big picture and work on improving the cricket of Indian women.

Semi-final eleven – as team manager, we wanted to see how the field was playing in the first semifinal, as it was a new field that delayed our selection meeting. At the end of the first semifinal, we all fear that people are holding a selection meeting and decide to go with a winning combination that has beaten a solid team like Australia. Pitch helped the spinners and Anuja Patil, a spinner played an important role in the match against Australia. The team was announced before the draw. "

Mithali Raj responds

I am deeply saddened and hurt by the criticisms inflicted on me. My commitment to the game and my 20 years of playing for my country. Hard work, sweat, in vain.
Today, my patriotism has doubted, my skill set has been questioned and all the mud rising – it's the darkest day of my life. May god give strength

– Mithali Raj (@ M_Raj03) November 29, 2018

In response to Powar's allegations, Raj said it was the darkest day of his life. "I am deeply saddened and hurt by the criticisms inflicted on me. My commitment to the game and my 20 years of playing for my country. Hard work, sweat, in vain. Today, my patriotism has doubted, my skill set has been questioned and all the mud rising – it's the darkest day of my life. May God give strength, "she said in a tweet.