Mithali Raj accuses India Women's coach of discrimination

Raj was left out India's ICC Women's World T20 semi-final against England, despite scoring consecutive half-centuries and bagging two player of the match awards

Mithali Raj has accused Ramesh Powar, the India Women's coach, of discrimination in a letter addressed to the BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, as reported by India Today.

Raj was left out India's ICC Women's World T20 semi-final against England, despite scoring consecutive half-centuries and bagging two player of the match awards.

India lost the match and since there have been a number of questions as to why Raj was absent from the XI.

On Tuesday, in a letter to the BCCI, Raj set out her feelings about being left out of the team and made a number of accusations regarding the behaviour of Powar.

"To leave me out in the semi-final and go only with three performing batters was a decision that left me baffled as much as it left the whole world," she wrote.

^{Raj scored consecutive half-centuries at the ICC Women's World T20}

"My issues with the coach started immediately as we landed in the West Indies. At first there were small signs that his behaviour towards me was unfair and discriminatory, but I did not bother about it much."

In the letter she alleges that, after requesting the selectors counter Powar's decision to put her in the middle order rather than her usual position of opener, his treatment of her changed.

"For instance, walking off if I am sitting anywhere around, watching in the nets when other bat but choosing to walk away when I am batting in nets.

"It was embarrassing and very evident to everyone that I was being humiliated."