Indian cricket legend Mithali Raj has furiously accused cricket leaders of bias for dropping her for last Friday’s World Twenty20 semi-final, which India lost to England.
Raj, the highest run scorer in the women’s international game and still India’s one-day captain, wrote a furious letter of complaint and met Board of Control for Indian Cricket (BCCI) leaders on Monday to vent her anger.
“For the first time in a 20 year long career, I felt deflated, depressed and let down,” said the 35-year-old in the letter.
Full Text: Mithali Raj’s letter to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri and GM Saba Karim
Raj questioned whether “my services to my country are of any value to a few people in power who are out to destroy me and break my confidence.”
Here is how Twitter reacted to the letter:
"1st time in 20-yr long career I felt deflated, depressed & let down. To him(coach Ramesh Powar) I didn’t exist in the team. If I was around he would immediately move away from the scene, if I looked to wish him he would deliberately start looking in other direction"- Mithali Raj pic.twitter.com/xNCUMbMDrN
— Sir Jadeja (@SirJadeja) November 27, 2018
The games people play!
— Rahul Dev Official (@RahulDevRising) November 27, 2018
No excuses for the shoddy treatment meted out to #MithaliRaj by #RameshPowar.
U can drop a player on cricketing grounds, but all players deserves respect, esp the ones with great records. Brave of @M_Raj03 👍#HarmanpreetKaur #MithaliRaj #WWT20 @BCCIWomen https://t.co/xd6CyCTo8Y
So Mithali Raj writes an email (why is everyone calling it 'letter'; we don't do that anymore) to the BCCI, rather than venting to the press. That email is them leaked to the press.
— Snehal Pradhan (@SnehalPradhan) November 27, 2018
I mean we all want women's cricket to get the same treatment as the men, but not like this.
Short of announcing retirement Mithali Raj has written everything in the letter. She blames Diana Eduljee too. That she just couldn't run was seen on tv because of her wobbling knees. Game is greater than the individual she should be reminded.
— Makarand Waingankar (@wmakarand) November 27, 2018
Dear Mithali Raj , gift him a box of red sunglasses and solve this matter. https://t.co/yuAdHm7WDM
— Sunil- The Cricketer (@1sInto2s) November 27, 2018
Feel really sorry for Mithali. Contents of her letter should not have come out. Tough week for her, the blunderous dropping from the semis and now this.
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) November 27, 2018
A storm is brewing....and it’s likely to get ugly #WomensCricket
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) November 27, 2018
One leak too many?
— Annesha Ghosh (@ghosh_annesha) November 27, 2018
Sadly, unlike the IND men's team which has a solid domestic system & an IPL in place, a reasonably robust pool of uncapped players waiting in the wings to make a mark at the intl level... 1/n
Now, ex-women's coach Arothe slams Edulji and Harmanpreet over Mithali issue. A semis exit and dropping of a key player should be discussed but not certainly in this manner. Sudden spotlight can be blinding. #MithaliRaj #HarmanpreetKaur #DianaEdulji
— Unnikrishnan (@unni1974) November 28, 2018
"...by writing this email I am making myself even more vulnerable. She is a COA member while I AM JUST A PLAYER"- #MithaliRaj. THIS, in essence is ALL about what's wrong with #IndianSport. Players come low in scheme of things. #WomensCricket
— Venkat Saravanan (@reachvsara) November 28, 2018
Seems odd to even write this but after reading @M_Raj03 story, I'm kind of glad that India didn't win Semi-finals #WWT20,since that would have justified everyone and the humiliation that she had to go through! Terrible state of affairs for women's cricket! #BCCI #MithaliRaj
— Shweta Gupta (@_shwetagupta) November 28, 2018
This is shocking. Ramesh Powar tells @M_Raj03 she cant go to the stadium for the Aus game. Says she cant be part of the team huddle. Says how does it feel to be benched!! Is this man for real?????! @BCCI are you listening? Vinod Rai are you seeing this? Take action or leave.
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) November 27, 2018
The India women’s cricket team has made a joke of itself, a reflection of the state of affairs at the BCCI. Unable to handle all the spotlight? Happened in Indian hockey too in the early 2000s when they found a sponsor, and started fighting among themselves. #bcci #indiacricket
— Sanjjeev (@Sanjjeev) November 27, 2018
Oh so Mithali Raj bypassed the Coach and Captain, spoke to selectors and made them open with her though management wanted her to bat 5, then she is wondering why did the coach lose trust in her?
— Gappistan Radio (@GappistanRadio) November 28, 2018
Well, I can see a reason or two......
