While India's three-match T20 series against New Zealand starts in Wellington on Wednesday, it is still not clear whether Mithali will be a part of the playing XI.
After defeating New Zealand 2-1 in the three-match ODI series, the Indian women's team will now focus on the shortest format of the game under the captaincy of Harmanpreet Kaur. Veteran Mithali Raj feels that it is the spinners who can control the ga
Mithali made her ODI debut against England in Milton Keynes in January 1999 and on Friday became the first woman to compete in 200 matches in the 50-over format.
A solid knock was expected from Mithali on her 200th ODI but she ended up with nine off 28 balls.
Interestingly, Indian women have played a total of 263 ODIs in their history and Mithali has been a part of 200 of them.
In the second ODI against New Zealand, Mithali scored an unbeaten 63 off 111 balls as India chased down 162 in 35.2 overs.
The spin trio of Ekta Bisht, Poonam Yadav and Deepti Sharma, who had tormented New Zealand in India's nine-wicket win in the first ODI, took two wickets each to stifle the Kiwi innings yet again.
The Indian women's team was at the centre of a huge controversy after its semi-final exit in the T20 World Cup owing to a bitter public spat between ODI captain Mithali and the then coach Powar.
The Indian women's team was at the centre of a huge controversy after its semi-final exit in the T20 World Cup in the West Indies.
Mithali Raj said it is a new year and she is hoping for a 'fresh start' for the team with new coach WV Raman.
The selectors have reposed their faith on Mithali who retained her place in the T20 squad and captaincy for next month's tour to New Zealand.
The New Zealand tour will be the team's first assignment after its controversial exit from the World T20 last month when it lost to England in the semi-finals.
Mithali Raj and Romesh Powar were involved in a blame game after India crashed out of the Women's T20 World Cup in the semi-finals.
Harmanpreet and Smriti have already said that they want Powar to continue while Mithali is against his return.
In her recent email skipper Harmanpreet backed former coach Ramesh Powar who has been targeted by Mithali over her exclusion from the squad.
On Monday, things became more dramatic with Harmanpreet throwing her weight behind the former spinner.
Harmanpreet and Smriti have made it clear that Powar alone wasn't behind Mithali's omission from the semifinal playing XI.
Raj, who is the first Indian woman to score a double ton in a Test, has led 'Women in Blue' to two World Cup finals.
It is understood that the BCCI doesn't want a repeat of the kind of bickering witnessed between Powar and star player Mithali following the Indian team's semifinal exit from the ICC Women's World T20 in the West Indies.
After Ramesh Powar's departure, it remains to be seen how T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur and ODI captain Mithali Raj bury their differences.
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