The Indian women’s cricket team’s decision to drop their senior-most player Mithali Raj for their crucial semi-final game against England in the ongoing World T20 tournament has drawn widespread criticism.
Raj’s manager, Annisha Gupta, reportedly took to Twitter and slammed captain Harmanpreet Kaur, calling her “manipulative, lying, immature, undeserving captain.”
She also reportedly said that the women’s team believed in “politics not sport.”
Unfortunately @BCCIWomen believes in politics not sport. After witnessing what @M_Raj03 ‘s experience could do in IndvIre it’s shocking that they went with what pleases @ImHarmanpreet -a manipulative, lying, immature, undeserving captain.Annisha Gupta on Twitter
The tweets have since been taken down, and Gupta’s Twitter profile, too, appears to have gone missing.
The Indian batting collapsed as they managed only 112 with eight wickets falling for 24 runs as the visibly upset veteran's blank stare sitting in the dug-out said it all in the game.
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Gupta said that the kind of treatment Raj has received “despite showing stability and consistency was uncalled for.”
“There are statements coming out that they wanted to give younger cricketers a chance but you don’t drop your senior-most, most experienced players in a semi-final against a country like England. It goes beyond giving the youngsters a chance.”
No Regrets in Dropping Raj: Kaur
Skipper Kaur said that she has "no regrets" in dropping Raj as it was decision taken keeping team's interests in mind.
Indian batting collapsed as they managed only 112 with eight wickets falling for 24 runs as the visibly upset veteran's blank stare sitting in the dug-out said it all.
At the toss, Harmanpreet said: "It's not about not selecting Mithali, it's about keeping a winning combination." The decision was questioned by former England captain Nasser Hussain and former Indian Test player Sanjay Manjrekar on air.
However the Indian skipper defended her decision.
"Whatever we decided, we decided for the team. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, no regrets. I'm proud of the way my girls played through the tournament," Harmanpreet said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
"This is a learning for us because we are a young team. Sometimes you have to change your game according to the wicket. England bowled really well, read the wicket really well. It was not an easy total to chase, and our bowlers bowled really well. We stretched the match till the 18th over," Harmanpreet explained.
(With inputs from ESPNcricinfo, PTI)
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