Mithali Raj's verdict on leadership change after India's Women's T20 World Cup exit
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Former Indian cricket captain Mithali Raj has shared her thoughts on whether a change in leadership is needed for the Indian women's cricket team following their disappointing exit from the group stage of the Women's T20 World Cup.
Under Harmanpreet Kaur's long tenure as captain, this marked the first time that India failed to qualify for the knock-out rounds of the tournament, reigniting debates about her future as captain.
When asked if the selectors should consider replacing Harmanpreet Kaur, who has been leading the side in T20 World Cups since 2018, Mithali offered a straightforward opinion. "It's up to the BCCI and the selectors, but if they're thinking of making a change, now is the ideal time. Waiting longer could be risky with another World Cup just two years away. If you don't do it now, then it might be too close to the next tournament to make such a decision," Mithali told PTI.
Mithali also suggested that while Smriti Mandhana, the team's long-serving vice-captain, is an option for leadership, younger players like Jemimah Rodrigues should be considered. "Jemimah is just 24 and would serve the team longer in T20s. I was impressed by her energy on the field during the tournament. Though she played cameo roles, she worked hard to build and sustain momentum for the team."
Mithali further reflected on India's performance, citing their struggles in adjusting to the conditions in their loss to New Zealand. "We took too long to adapt to the slowness of the wicket. In a short tournament like this, there's little time to adjust. Sophie Devine, who was not in great form, managed to score well against us, which suggests that our bowling and fielding were subpar."
Additionally, Mithali emphasized the need to revamp India's batting strategy. "We tend to rely heavily on Shafali Verma to go big, but both openers need to perform consistently. Smriti Mandhana is a terrific stroke player and should have more freedom to express herself, while rotating the strike needs to become a regular feature in our batting partnerships."
