There’s never a dull day in the life of Indian Cricket, is it?
Just hours ago, the revered and powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India elected its West Zone representative as part of the five-member
Senior Selection Committee. The name might surprise a few considering the elected candidate that’s now a part of the five member Senior Selection committee neither boasts the most tantalising or awe inspiring cricketing career, nor has had a credible or inspirational past performance record even in coaching capacity attached to an international India side.
Ramesh Powar bested Wasim Jaffer, a former Test opener for India with 31 Tests to his name, for the role.
While the revered daily The Telegraph has shared the BCCI picked Ramesh Powar over Wasim Jaffer owing to the need for aligning the selection panel with the team management’s existing policies, the appointment for the former off spinner of Team India has also courted criticism from some corners.
🚨He is old fashioned, how will he cope up with today’s team? Harsha Bhogle questions the appointment of Ramesh Powar as National selector🤯
Harsha Bhogle said :🗣️
“I feel selection of Ramesh Powar as National selector will raise some eyebrows for sure. He has worked previously with Indian women’s cricket team, and has a break out with Mithali Raj back then. It was indeed a controversial chapter in his coaching tenure, and he was sacked after that fiasco. So, there will be some question marks on this appointment. He is old fashioned, has a old way of thinking, so it can misfire as well. This Indian cricket team is not easy to handle, and it can lead to some different opinions in the selectors room as well. Anyhow, it will be an interesting little phase with Pragyan Ojha now leading the charge along with other guys as well”.
— Akshat (@Cricketmythos) October 19, 2026
But before we get to what the criticism is and from where it emanated, it ought to be reminded that previously in his stint as the coach of the Indian women’s team during the 2022 period, Romesh Pawar had presided over a rocky period with regards to Mithali Raj, the then captain of the women’s side.
Also Read | Who is Ramesh Powar? All you need to Know about BCCI’s newest Selection Committee Member
While many believed or stated that it was during Powar’s time as coach that Mithali Raj was made to feel most uncomfortable of her own position in the side, which she led back then, many were also of the view that the conflict between the great Indian batter-captain and the coach was a complex saga that didn’t offer exact clarity over who was in the wrong.
What was clear is that around half a decade ago, the situation was so dire for a cricketer of her integrity and conduct that Mithali Raj of all talents, had to face a situation in which her own conduct, commitment and attitude to the Indian team came to be questioned leaving the Rajathan-born former highest scorer in women’s international cricket expressing her grievance with the way she had been treated. She’d go as far as dubbing that period of time under Powar’s reign as coach as the darkest chapter in her cricketing journey.
Now, with Ramesh Powar having just recently been selected for the revered post with the BCCI, none other than Harsha Bhogle, a name that needs little introduction given its eminence and respect in the game has levelled his observation on the move. Here’s what one of the world’s best commentators happened to say on the matter:
“I feel selection of Ramesh Powar as National selector will raise some eyebrows for sure. He has worked previously with Indian women’s cricket team, and has a break out with Mithali Raj back then. It was indeed a controversial chapter in his coaching tenure, and he was sacked after that fiasco. So, there will be some question marks on this appointment. He is old fashioned, has a old way of thinking, so it can misfire as well. This Indian cricket team is not easy to handle, and it can lead to some different opinions in the selectors room as well. Anyhow, it will be an interesting little phase with Pragyan Ojha now leading the charge along with other guys as well”.
