CHENNAI : The administrative tangle in Indian cricket keeps getting complicated. On a day the Supreme Court deferred hearing on the crucial 10th status report of the CoA pertaining to compliance of the states to Lodha guidelines, a letter from Mithali Raj rocked the establishment. The letter written to CEO Rahul Johri and Syed Saba Karim (general manager, cricket operations) ignores the CoA, which is in charge of the board. Moreover, one of the targets of Mithali’s attack is CoA member Diana Edulji, who recently unsuccessfully called for Johri’s resignation following allegations of sexual harassment against him.
With the rift between Vinod Rai and Edulji getting bigger by the day, the Supreme Court-appointed amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium has requested the apex court to relieve him of his duties in the ongoing case. Contents of Mithali’s letter are explosive.
She has accused coach Ramesh Powar of insulting her and plotting her omission for the WT20 semis against England. India’s 50-over captain also accuses Edulji of being biased against her, questioning her statement that “selection is not CoA’s headache”. Mithali, however, adds that she has nothing against T20 skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, save for the fact that she decided to drop her from the side.
These developments are not unprecedented, but of late there has been a surge in number of such incidents. Last year, Virat Kohli spoke against Anil Kumble’s methods, which resulted in him not continuing as coach. Earlier this year, the women’s team revolted against then-coach Tushar Arothe, who resigned.The Mithali saga is the third in a growing list of incidents that cricket teams face, but usually sort out behind the scenes without making public. That all of it has happened during the CoA’s reign doesn’t speak highly of the management skills of the panel.
Contacted by this newspaper, Edulji refused to comment on the letter, where Mithali accused her of “using her position against me”. Interestingly, Arothe too had things to say against Edulji. When players wanted Arothe out, it had all started with his decision to drop Pooja Vastrakar. Arothe said that back then, Edulji had questioned that move.
“I find it surprising that Edulji doesn’t want to get into selection matters. Because when I dropped Pooja for the Asia Cup final, I was asked for reasons. If she doesn’t want to get involved now, she shouldn’t have done it earlier,” said Arothe. “This isn’t the first time a coach has been dragged into an issue. It happened with Purnima Rau and me. I don’t know what happened, but going by the way they went into the semifinal, it seemed they misread the pitch, wanted an extra bowler and dropped Mithali.”
The controversy started after Mithali was dropped for the semifinal. Team manager Trupti Bhattacharya revealed that the decision was taken by the coach, captain and on-tour selector Sudha Shah. Meanwhile, acting BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhary, who is convenor of selection committees, was left out of the meetings attended by Mithali, Harmanpreet and Powar. On Tuesday after Mithali’s letter, Choudhary wrote to Johri and Karim under the subject: Leakage of report. “The contents are damaging to certain persons and to BCCI. Please let me know the facts of the case at the earliest.”
Abridged and edited version of Mithali Raj’s letter to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri & General Manager Syed Saba Karim
Dear Rahul Sir and Saba,
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. I have always respected Diana Edulji and her position as a CoA member. Her brazen support in the press with regard to my omission has left me deeply distressed. She knows the real facts, having spoken to me. Her statement saying ‘selection is not CoA’s headache’ is like suggesting there is no system of cheques and balances.
I scored back to back fifties before the semifinal, was adjudged player of the match on both occasions. To leave me out and go with only three performing batters was a decision that left me baffled. I adhered to protocol and didn’t say a word in the press but the support of a CoA member is a clear sign of bias and also that a stance has already been taken against me.
I have nothing against Harmanpreet Kaur except for the fact that her call to support the decision of the coach to leave me out was baffling and hurtful. My issue is with coach Ramesh Powar and in stories circulating in the press. Usually Ramesh announces the team a day before or on the day of the game but it was unusual that on the day of the semis, he did not announce the team. When Harman walked to toss, he said they were going with the same team. The team knew who were playing.
It was just me not aware. When the team was getting ready to field in the second innings, it is customary that those who aren’t playing should join the team huddle. It has always been the norm in our team. But to insult me, he sent a word through the manager to tell that it was only the playing XI that can join in the huddle.With Diana turning against me and with the coach’s unjust behaviour, I feel depressed. As I was told not to go to the media I write this email to you as the last resort.Regards Mithali
(venkatakrishna@newindianexpress.com)