Former India all-rounders want Mithali-Jhulan factor in T20 World Cup 2020

With just ten months to go for ICC T20 World Cup 2020, former India all-rounders Shantha Rangaswamy and Shubhangi Kulkarni have vouched for Mithali Raj, saying that she can fit into any format. cricketing legends have also suggested that BCCI make Jhulan Goswami part of team ahead of tournament in Australia. Mithali, torch-bearer of women’s cricket in India for more than a decade, was left out of ICC Women’s World T20 2018 semi-final against England in Caribbean, which began war of words between 36-year-old and former coach Ramesh Powar.

In an exclusive interaction with ANI, Rangaswamy, who was a member of panel that picked new coach WV Raman, said,

“If she is fit, yes. If I’ve had any say, I’ll definitely include Mithali sheerly for her batting. Whenever she got a chance in West Indies (during ICC Women’s World T20 2018), she got a couple of half-centuries (against Pakistan and Ireland) which ors couldn’t including Harmanpreet (Kaur) herself. Although Harmanpreet is ideally a T20 player, I personally feel she (Mithali) can fit into any (format).” “If a player is good y will do well in any format,” Rangaswamy said while calling Mithali “one of best”. “We collapsed in World T20 semi-final (against England) last year by seven wickets, gone for hardly any run. I hope that will be an eye opener,” she added.

Mithali was named in squad for three T20Is against New Zealand. However, she was added only for third game, which had consequence as India had already lost series. first Indian cricketer, male or female, to register 2000 T20I runs, Mithali scored 57, including an unbeaten 30, in recent three-match series against England at home. Veteran spearhead Jhulan, who retired from T20I cricket in August last year, too, found a place in Rangaswamy and Kulkarni’s list for T20 World Cup. Goswami has represented India in 68 T20Is and has 56 wickets under her belt, including a five-wicket haul against Australia in 2012.

Kulkarni, secretary of erstwhile Women’s Cricket Association, stated,

“It’s totally up to Mithali to decide. But as long as y (Mithali and Jhulan) are performing y should be re. I’m sure selector will also be thinking of that. It doesn’t depend on how old you are, it’s more about how fit you are and wher you can contribute. So as long as both of m can contribute I think y should be re.” Delighted to see Goswami’s name in IPL-style Women’s T20 Challenge, Rangaswamy said, “How many Gavaskars, Dravids, Tendulkars, Kohlis do you see? y don’t come in bunches, it’s once in a way that such players emerge. Jhulan belongs to that class. I’m t saying ors won’t come, y will but you won’t get players of that calibre. We’ll have to buy our times to get players of that calibre.”

Rangaswamy, a former chairperson of BCCI women’s selection panel, added,

“y have picked Jhulan for this league, if she does well, I feel she can be persuaded to go for next year’s World Cup. Perhaps she didn’t want to make a scene with some players, that might have been reason she gave up (T20I) but I saw her play here (domestic cricket, where Bengal won National Championship) and she did superbly with both bat and ball. I watched it and I still feel she can give a lot. If she does well, selectors can talk to her and make her be part of team.”

Road Ahead

As likes of Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues and Poonam Yadav are taking centre st, Kulkarni advised,

“y (emerging players) have got a lot of opportunities because y’re playing a lot more. y should take maximum advant of that and also learn a lot by watching ( game) and listening to commentary. That’s something earlier players didn’t get so y can watch and improve. y should take advant of all facilities. w that y are getting contracts y can focus on ir playing and enhance ir game. It’s great to get selected but it’s also up to m w to raise profile of women’s cricket by enhancing ir skills and making it a world-class sport — fastest growing sport in India.”

Rangaswamy added, “y have Mithali, Smriti (Mandhana), Jhulan, Rajeshwari (Gayakwad), Poonam Yadav, Deepti Sharma — perhaps very young but very matured head. So y have role models, watch m and play like m. Learn good things from m that would be only thing I would suggest.

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