Mansi Joshi denies opposing Ramesh Powar’s reinstatement as coach

The fallout from India's exit from the ICC Women's World T20 semi-final last month continues.

The fallout from India’s exit from the ICC Women’s World T20 semi-final last month continues with Mansi Joshi now writing a letter to the BCCI clarifying her stand on the issue of Ramesh Powar continuing as the head coach.

News agency Press Trust of India (PTI) had reported that the trio of Mithali Raj, Ekta Bisht and Mansi was against Powar’s reinstatement as the women’s coach. India’s T20I captain Harmanpreet Kaur and her deputy Smriti Mandhana though have backed the former India spinner to continue.

Mithali, who was dropped for that semi-final fixture against England, had claimed Powar snubbed her during the tournament in West Indies. She also claimed that Powar and CoA member Diana Edulji were out to destroy her career.

Powar countered that, claiming Mithali had threatened to retire midway through the WWT20 after she was asked to give up the opener’s slot.

The Times of India quoted a letter written by Mansi to BCCI in which she has denied ever making her views on the issue of coach public.

“Hi all, this is with regards to the information quoted in a PTI news report dated December 3, 2018 after the leaks of Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana’s letters to the BCCI. This report states that ‘It’s learnt that Ekta Bisht and Mansi Joshi are against his (Ramesh Powar’s) reinstatement along with captain Mithali.”

“I am writing to you to deny this statement and clarify that I have not said those words or anything to that effect to anyone in person or publicly. I have never endorsed my views on this whole matter to anyone and I fail to understand where this information could have come from.”

In fact, she claims to have ‘amicable relationship’ with Powar and support staff.

“I have an amicable relationship with all my teammates as well as Ramesh sir and the support staff. I want to note here that I’m thankful to Ramesh sir and support staff for giving me the confidence since my comeback into the team.

“My family, well-wishers and more importantly, my coach are all really stressed with this appearing now in all the leading newspapers of the country and the fact that I’m being pulled into this unnecessarily. With this email, I just wish to clarify my stance that I have not said anything on those lines, as stated in above-mentioned report,” she wrote.