Asserting that her dispute with former coach Ramesh Powar and CoA member Diana Edulji was a thing of the past, India women’s ODI captain Mithali Raj said on Tuesday cricket had helped her deal with the adversities of life.
The Indian team’s New Zealand tour begins on Thursday with the first ODI at McLean Park. The women will play three ODIs and as many T20 Internationals.
Asked how the team would deal with foreign conditions, Mithali said the side had prepared well. “Most of the team might be inexperienced to the New Zealand conditions, but otherwise we are an experienced lot that has been together for four to five years.
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“All of us our coming from match practice, whether it was the domestic season or, like a couple of girls, from the WBBL. And, he (coach W.V. Raman) has just joined us.
“We have arrived one week early to adapt to the windy conditions, we had a practice game and the girls are in good shape,” she added.
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Good form
Mithali also stressed that as captain and the most experienced player she would bring the team together against the ‘White Ferns’.
“Right now all of us are in a good form. Smriti, Harmanpreet or young Jemimah — all have been amongst the runs. We also have a good middle-order in Hemlata and Deepti Sharma.
New Zealand skipper Amy Satterthwaite said she was happy with the balance of the team.