Former India captain Mithali Raj on Tuesday attributed the national team’s underwhelming performance in the Women’s T20 World Cup to lack of growth across departments over the past three years. It was the first time under Harmanpreet Kaur’s long captaincy tenure that India failed to qualify for the knockouts of the ICC showpiece, extending the team’s title-less run in world events and putting serious question marks over her future as skipper.
The former Indian captain, Mithali Raj was not pleased with the Indian women’s team’s performance in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024 in the UAE and suggested that they were unable to make it to the knockout stages due to a lack of growth in all three departments.
If India are looking at moving on from Harmanpreet Kaur as their captain, the time is now. That’s the opinion of Mithali Raj, following India’s group-stage exit from the women’s T20 World Cup. Harmanpreet has been in charge since replacing Mithali Raj in 2016 and has led the team at four T20 World Cups, but the latest one has been the poorest in terms of results – they made at least the semi-finals in the three previous editions.
Mithali Raj Slams India’s Batting Order Confusion and Critiques Fitness Standards After Early Exit from WT20
Retired Indian cricketer Mithali Raj believes the national women’s team need a change of guard after a shambolic performance in the T20 World Cup 2024. The ex-captain has backed Jemimah Rodrigues to succeed Harmanpreet Kaur as skipper.
Having sustained a heavy 58-run loss to New Zealand in their opening game, India recovered with wins over Pakistan and Sri Lanka. However, they lost to Australia, and New Zealand beating Pakistan meant all four Asian sides were eliminated in the group stage.
Speaking to PTI, Mithali said the time to change the captain is now as it will be too late by the time the next World Cup comes if it happens then. She said:
“If the selectors decide to change, I would go for a young captain. This is the time [to change]; if you delay more then we have another [ODI] World Cup on the horizon [October 2025]. If you are not doing it now, then don’t do it later. Then it is too close to the World Cup. Smriti is there but I think someone like Jemimah [Rodrigues] she’s 24, she’s young, she will serve you more.”
Harmanpreet succeeded Mithali as the captain of the side in 2020. She has done a decent job, ushering India to the finals of the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2023. However, the veteran’s captaincy came under criticism on multiple occasions.
Team India took more time to adjust to the conditions stated Mithali Raj
Mithali also criticized the Indian team’s lack of adaptability to the slow surfaces in the UAE. It was evidenced by New Zealand captain Sophie Devine playing a knock of 57 in Dubai in their opening match. The 41-year-old added:
“Surprisingly, we took time to adjust to the slowness of the wicket. Unlike an ODI World Cup, it is a short tournament, you don’t have a lot of time to adjust to the conditions. Someone like [New Zealand captain] Sophie Devine was able to score that many runs [57 not out] against us and she is not used to playing on slow tracks. We were not quick enough to adjust.”
It remains to be seen what will be Harmanpreet Kaur’s fate moving forward.
Former India captain Mithali Raj, reflecting on the team’s struggles, pointed out a lack of growth over the past three years, emphasizing the need for clarity in roles and strategy. She stated,
“We have not seen any growth in this team. Every other team has shown development despite limited depth.”
Mithila Raj was also critical of the fitness levels of some of the players, which she felt contributed to them dropping catches. Against Australia, India dropped three catches and could have possibly converted two more half-chances.
“Against Australia, I was very disappointed to see, other than Radha Yadav and Jemi to some extent, I don’t think there was anybody,” she said. “So we cannot have just two players out of 11 being good.
“In terms of fitness, we need to have a benchmark. Honestly, how much can you work in a month? It’s something that you do around the year. It’s not like just before the tournament, you have a camp and it’s just going to really show the difference on the field.”
Mithila’s insights resonate deeply, as they reflect broader issues within the team’s strategy and execution. Her call for a younger captain also hints at a potential shift in leadership dynamics. Players like Jemimah Rodrigues, who brings energy and enthusiasm, could be seen as viable candidates for leading the team into the future.