Mithali Raj, who was dropped for the recent T20 World Cup semifinal in West Indies, says she is being forced to think if her services to the country are of any value to a few people in power who are out to destroy her and break her confidence.
In an e-mail sent to the BCCI CEO Rahul Johri and General Manager (Operations) Saba Karim, Mithali said that she has been deflated, depressed and let down for the first time in her 20-year-long career.
“I have always reposed faith in Diana Edulji, 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,” wrote Mithali.
“ Diana’s 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,” she said.
Significantly, Mithali also says that she has nothing against the captain Harmanpreet Kaur except for the fact that her call to support the decision of the coach to leave her out of the eleven was baffling and hurtful. “I wanted to win the World Cup for my country and it hurts me because we lost a golden opportunity,” she said.
“As India’s 50-over captain, I value Harman as one of our best players and will always want to ensure that the two of us perform our best for India. Having said that, my issue is deeper. My issue is with the coach Ramesh Powar and in all stories circulating in the press, I find that issue getting diluted,” Mithali pointed out.
“My issues with the coach started immediately as we landed in the West Indies. At first there were small signs that his behaviour towards me was unfair and discriminatory but I did not bother much about it,” she said on the coach. “And, when he approached me to open the innings also, I agreed for the greater cause of the team,” she explained.
“It was embarrassing and very evident to everyone that I was being humiliated. Yet, I never lost my cool,” she said.
“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. She convened a meeting at my request between the coach and me in her presence and I spoke to him politely yet firmly about all that was going on. In front of the manager, he agreed to his fault in many numerous instances.
“After the meeting his behaviour turned worse. He would not even acknowledge me. To him I didn’t exist in the team. He continued to behave badly,” she said.
Coach’s indifference
“When we reached Antigua for the semifinals, I went into the nets and as soon I got into the nets, Ramesh just walked away from the area. The sign was clear that he had already made up his mind that he didn’t want to play me in the semis,” she said.
“I couldn’t control my tears having given it my all for 20 years. It seemed my efforts had no value,” she added.
“In the light of the above, I, as captain of India in ODIs who has given her best for the country, do I have any hope left to be given justice. With Diana turning against me publicly and with the coach’s unjust behaviour, I feel utterly dejected and depressed. As I was told not to go to the media I write this email to you as the last resort. Please advise on the next course of action,” concluded Mithali.
