Players’ egos should not destroy team: Rau
CHANDIGARH: There is a sense of déjà vu in Indian cricket. Barely a year after a revolt by the skipper saw the men’s national coach removed, the national coach of the women’s team has suffered a similar fate.
Last year, Anil Kumble was forced out barely a year into his tenure and despite solid performances by the team, due to differences with skipper Virat Kohli. A few days ago, it was the women’s coach Tushar Arothe who got the sack. That the women’s team, having plodded deep in the shadows of their male counterparts, was making a mark on the pitch and in the public consciousness didn’t seem to have mattered.
Arothe, a former Ranji Trophy player, was let go after T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur and ODI skipper Mithali Raj complained about his coaching methods to the two-member Committee of Administrators, which includes former India women’s team skipper Diana Eduljee.
Arothe has been quoted as saying that Harmanpreet didn’t want to come out of her comfort zone and that the impressive allrounder was not keen on taking part in fielding sessions at training. She was also apparently not happy with double practice sessions in a day.
Arothe had taken over the reins last year, ahead of the World Cup in England, after former India star Purnima Rau was removed as coach. He was hailed for the team’s success as India reached the World Cup final before losing to hosts England.
Although the men’s team has moved forward, and the women are making a mark, especially in the T20 format that has got them spots in the leagues of Australia and England, the controversies point to serious systemic issues within the Indian cricket administration.
Indian women cricket has endured a culture of national coaches getting the axe when senior players protest against their functioning, though it used to barely register when the team was low-profile, and not part of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Sudha Shah was removed in 2010, Anju Jain in 2013 and then Rau.
‘DIANA VINDICTIVE’
Rau accused the team members of being “compulsive complainers” and questioned the practice of sacking coaches every time, and questioned Eduljee’s handling of the issue.
“Diana Eduljee is admired by the cricket fraternity but a lot many would not know that she is very vindictive when it comes to decision-making. She is enjoying being part of COA too much and taking haywire decisions. Power has gone to her head. The fact BCCI is defunct due to the Lodha reforms has given her more powers,” said Rau, who led India in three Tests and eight ODIS .
Rau claimed Mithali, Harmanpreet and pace spearhead Jhulan Goswami had approached COA member Eduljee for her ouster, demanding the appointment of a male coach.
“I was not even communicated when I was removed from the job. They want everything to run on their whims and fancies, and Diana has been their agony aunt,” Rau said.
Arothe was sacked when India had won 16 consecutive ODIS. The team can ill-afford such controversies just when the team is making a mark at world level.
Harman and other big stars of the team need to realise there is nothing greater than the game and the pride of playing for the country. Players’ egos should not destroy the team,” adds Hyderabad-based Rau.