We are looking at Smriti Mandhana as the next leader of the Women's cricket team: Head Coach Ramesh Powar

The Head Coach of the Indian Women’s cricket team, Ramesh Powar has opined that left-handed opening batter Smriti Mandhana will assume a leadership role in the near future.

Adding that the discussion about elevating Mandhana to a leadership role will take place after the 2022 Women’s T20 World Cup, Powar revealed that the Indian team management will give this decision a good thought and will not make any move in a hurry.

“See at some point we have to address some future roles for the leadership. There are some talks around it. We will take it after the World Cup, and we will decide. We are not going to hurry it up, we will give it good thought and then we will decide what’s happening,” said Powar after the third T20I between Australia and India.

The BCCI and I will get together and decide the next course of action: Ramesh Powar

Ramesh Powar further added that Smriti Mandhana has been the vice-captain of the Indian Women’s side for some time now, and is being seen as the next leader of the Indian Women’s cricket team. The 43-year-old also added that he will get together along with the BCCI and the selectors to decide the further course of action.

“We are looking at her (Mandhana) as a leader as always. She has been the vice-captain and at some point, she will lead this side. I don’t know the format now; BCCI, the selectors, and I will get together and decide the next course of action,” added Powar.

Powar further stated that Mandhana has been expressive in the way she has batted in the last three years, and concluded by stating that the left-hander is now spending more time out in the middle.

“She has been very expressive in her batting for the last two-three years. Let’s not make it spicy. We want her to change in the sense if you’ve seen her batting, she is trying to spend a lot of time in the middle, that is the strategy. We want her to spend a lot of time in the middle. It’s just a change of role for her,” concluded Powar.