Coach controversy was the most difficult phase of my career off the field, says Mithali Raj

India’s One-Day International captain Mithali Raj has called for a fresh start as the women’s team prepares for a limited-overs tour of New Zealand, beginning later this month.

The 36-year-old was at the centre of a controversy involving former head coach Ramesh Powar after the Indian team lost in the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s World T20 in November.

Powar has since been replaced by former India opener WV Raman, in spite of pleas by India’s T20I skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and opener Smriti Mandhana to reinstate the former.

Raj and Kaur have been retained as the ODI and T20I captains respectively for the New Zealand tour.

Raj, who became the highest run-scorer for India in T20Is (2,283 runs in 85 matches) last year, said she was satisfied with her performance in 2018 and wants to move on from the controversy, which she admitted was “not a very good experience”.

“Definitely, it was the most difficult phase of my career off the field,” Raj told the Times of India in an interview. “A lot has been spoken about my batting and it has been dissected. But I don’t need to justify after all these years what I have done and what I am as a player.

“I can’t change people’s perceptions. It is not in my control. But what is in my control is that as long as I am playing, as long as I take the field, there will not be any less percentage of commitment. I have always played like that and will continue to do so,” she added.

Asked how the controversy would affect the team’s bonding, Raj said she was unsure of how things would be off the field but is confident that on-field performances won’t be affected.

“I am not sure how things will be off the field, but as professional cricketers, who have been playing for so many years, each one of us understands what it takes to get the team together on the field and perform,” she said.

“Also these things are secondary when you have a job on hand to represent the country at the highest level. I am sure everyone knows that they have to put their head down and perform for the team.

“I don’t think there will be any team which has everyone on the same page. It is like a family where everyone has a different perspective. At the end of the day, you figure out a common goal and strive towards it.”

Raj said she was positive of 2019 being a “fruitful season for India” and added that she would do her part in getting the team to perform as a unit.

You can read the entire interview here.