MUMBAI: Indian women’s coach and former India off-spinner Ramesh Powar has backed T20 skipper Harmanpreet Kaur to rediscover her form that she showed in the 2017 World Cup in England as they embark on another journey to go one step further than they did at Lord’s five years ago.
In the last four years, all Harmanpreet has scored is 543 runs in 29 games at an average of 28.57, with her top score being 55 not out.
In the team’s pre-departure virtual presser for the New Zealand tour, which includes a T20I and five ODIs before the ODI World Cup, Powar banked on Harmanpreet’s fine form in the Women’s Big Bash League in December last year — where she scored 406 runs in 13 games at an average of 58.00, and a strike rate of 130.96.
“It is important you back your players and that’s what we do in this team. As far as Harman is concerned, she’s just come out of the WBBL as the ‘Player of the Tournament.’ So currently she’s in good form and it’s up to her to capitalise those good days into best days in the World Cup.”
Soon after India picked the squad for this tour, a debate was triggered on the non-selection of three senior players — batters Jemimah Rodrigues and Punam Raut, and seamer Shikha Pandey.
Powar said that he had been communicating to all the players for the last six months on what was expected out of them.
“I told them specifically what is expected out of them. This is a competition. If you don’t perform you don’t get your chances,” he asserted.