Mithali Raj controversy: Former coach Tushar Arothe questions CoA member Diana Edulji's double standards

After Mithali Raj, former India Women's team coach Tushar Arothe has now hit back at Committee of Administrators (CoA) member Diana Edulji.

The omission of Mithali from India's playing XI against England in Women's World T20 2018 semi-final, which India lost by eight wickets, led to a massive controversy. However, Edulji played down the controversy, saying the decision could not be questioned.

File image of Diana Edulji. AFP

"I think too much is being made out of it. The management (captain Harmanpreet Kaur, coach Ramesh Powar, vice captain Smriti Mandhana and selector Sudha Shah) made the decision of not changing a winning combination and that backfired. If I India had won the game, I am sure nobody would have questioned their decision," Edulji said.

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But Arothe has now slammed Edulji for indulging in double standards. Talking to Times of India, Arothe said Edulji took a completely different stand after India lost to Bangladesh in Asia Cup final in July.

"Why is Diana contradicting her statement by saying that it was the team management's decision to drop Mithali Raj? Why did she interfere in team selection during the Asia Cup in Malaysia? At that time too, the team management had taken a decision to drop Pooja Vastrakar in the final," Arothe told Times of India.

"However, after the tournament, I, on tour selector Shashi Gupta and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur were summoned by Diana and asked why Vastrakar was not played in the final of the Asia Cup. At that time, I told her that it was the team management's decision, but she had clearly told me that I can't pick and choose whom to play."

Arothe also added that the decision to drop Pooja Vastrakar was made of because of her poor catching. The former head coach was forced to vacate his position after players protested against his training methods and was replaced by Ramesh Powar.

Meanwhile, Mithali in a letter to BCCI, that was leaked to media, wrote that Edulji's public support for the decision to drop the veteran cricketer in the crucial game for India had left her 'deeply distressed'.