The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) contracted, women’s team head coach, Ramesh Powar has vacated the head coach role for a switch to be involved with men’s cricket by being a part of the VVS Laxman-led National Cricket Academy. The India women’s team who are 2 days away from their crucial series against India are without a head coach with only a batting coach appointed for the series.
Ramesh Powar’s first stint as the teams head coach saw curtains following a poor equation with former captain, Mithali Raj who had accused him of discrimination and bias in a letter addressed to the BCCI. Mithali also had alleged that Ramesh Powar humiliated her during the World T20 in West Indies where she controversially was left out of India’s XI against England in the semi-final that India eventually lost.
Following W.V Raman’s stint, Ramesh Powar returned to the post in May 2021 for a 2nd inning and now has left his 2-year contract after serving in the role for 20 months. Replacing him in the team, but not in the role is Mr. Hrishikesh Kanitkar who was with the Indian team in the same capacity (batting coach) when they toured Sri Lanka.
Just ahead of T20 World Cup, Hrishikesh Kanitkar has been appointed as the batting coach of India’s women’s team.
Ramesh Powar, the women’s head coach since May 2021, joins NCA as a spin bowling coach for men’s cricket.#CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/jJnemJGcL2
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) December 6, 2022
Mr. Ramesh Powar, said, “I have had an enriching experience in my stint as Head Coach of the senior women’s team. Over the years I have worked closely with some of the stalwarts of the game and upcoming talents of the country. With my new role at the NCA, I will be looking to take forward my experience over the years to help build talent for the future. I look forward to working in tandem with Mr. VVS Laxman for the further development of the game and bench strength.”
The top-order batter, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, who represented India in 2 Tests and 34 one-dayers previously coached Ranji teams of Goa and Tamil Nadu and was also part of the VVS Laxman-led coaching staff in the recently concluded men’s white-ball series in New Zealand. On the front of ICC events, Hrishikesh has got the experience of the same as well having had a successful stint with the U-19 cricket team.
On his appointed, Mr. Hrishikesh Kanitkar, said, “It is an honour to be appointed as the new Batting Coach of the Senior Women’s team. I see tremendous prospects in this team and we have a good mix of youth and experience. I believe this team is ready for the challenge ahead. We have a few marquee events coming up and it is going to be exciting for the team and myself as batting coach.”
The BCCI continues on its trend of surprising fans and yet again, the timing of this surprise from the BCCI is an awful one. In near future, the Indian women’s team has got a Twenty20 (T20) World Cup to be played early next year in February, and in their lead-up to the mega ICC event are scheduled to play a crucial series in waiting against Australia before they play a Tri-Series against West Indies and World Cup hosts, South Africa.
In such a crunch period for the Indian women’s team to be without a head coach is by no means a positive, but hopefully, the run of form of senior players and a decent bench should with not much a lot of harm bring success to India in their series against Australia and in days to come until permanent appointments are made.
(Quotes sourced from BCCI media release)