After receiving strong support from T20 international captain Harmanpreet Kaur and her deputy Smriti Mandhana, Ramesh Powar applied for coach of the Indian cricket team. The 40-year-old former India spinner confirmed that he was applied.
"I can't let Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur down after knowing that they back my good work, by not applying. The rest I leave it up to the BCCI to decide," Powar told India Today.
Powar's stretch came to an end after the Indian women's team lost to England in the semifinals of the World T20 last month. The team management including Powar and Harmanpreet dropped senior player Mithali Raj for the knock-out game, triggering a controversy.
After returning home from the West Indies, Mithali went on to accuse Powarand COA member Diana Edulji of trying to destroy her and being biased against her.
Powar, on his part, accused Mithali of threatening to retire midway into the World T20 after being denied the opening slot and creating chaos in the team.
The BCCI decided to invite fresh applications for the post and set the application deadline for December 14.
Harmanpreet and Smriti have already said that they want Powar to continue while Mithali is against his return.
The women's team is a divided lot at the moment and so is COA running the BCCI. The COA comprising Vinod Rai and Edulji at loggerheads over the women's coach appointment.
The BCCI invited fresh applications for the vacancy after Rai's approval while Edulji said that the decision was taken without consulting her and the board could have continued with Powar till the New Zealand tour which starts next month.
