BCCI appoints Ramesh Powar as head coach of Indian women’s cricket team

The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced the appointment of Ramesh Powar as the head coach of the Indian women’s cricket team on Thursday. The BCCI had advertised for the post and received over 35 applications.

The three-member Cricket Advisory Committee comprising Sulakshana Naik, Madan Lal and RP Singh interviewed the applicants and unanimously agreed on Powar’s candidature.

A former international, Powar played two Tests and 31 ODIs for India. Post his playing career, he took up cricket coaching and is an ECB Level 2 certified coach and has also attended BCCI-NCA Level 2 coaching course.

He is a former coach of the Indian women’s senior team (from July-November 2018), and it was under him that India qualified for the semi-final of the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup in 2018 and also won 14 T20 matches in a row.

He recently coached the Mumbai senior team that won the Vijay Hazare Trophy and has worked at the National Cricket Academy as a bowling coach.

Powar, who was sacked after the 2018 T20 World Cup, was recommended by the Madan Lal-led CAC after the panel interviewed eight candidates including incumbent WV Raman.

The others in the fray were former India wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra and five female candidates including former chief selector Hemlata Kala.

Raman, Powar, Ajay Ratra and Hrishikesh Kanitkar appeared for virtual interviews conducted by the CAC on Wednesday.

Out of 35 applications, eight India internationals were shortlisted for interviews, which included four men and four women.

While the four male candidates were interviewed on Wednesday day, the four female candidates – Mamtha Maben, Devika Palshikar, former chairman of selectors Hemlatha Kala and Suman Sharma – were interviewed on Thursday.

Two CAC members – Lal and Sulakshana Naik – were present while RP Singh couldn’t join as his father died on Wednesday.

(With inputs from PTI)