New Delhi: Former Australian women’s team captain Lisa Sthalekar feels the BCCI neither checked on Veda Krishnamurthy after the twin tragedies in her family nor communicated to the bereaved India cricketer its decision to not consider her for the upcoming tour of England. Earlier this month, the flamboyant middle-order India batter lost her elder sister Vatsala Shivakumar to COVID-19, two weeks after her mother succumbed to the dreaded virus.
On expected lines, she was not included in the Indian Test and ODI team for next month’s tour of the United Kingdom, but ICC Hall of Famer Sthalekar was not convinced with the BCCI’s handling of the whole episode. “Whilst not selecting Veda for the upcoming series may be justified from their point of view, what angers me the most is that as a contracted player she has not received any communication from BCCI, just to even check how she is coping,” Sthalekar said in a note on her Twitter handle. She added, “A true association should deeply care about the players that play the game… not focus solely on just the game at any cost. So disappointed.” The 28-year-old Bengaluru-based Veda recently paid an emotional tribute to her sister and mother, who succumbed to the virus in a span of two weeks.
The all-rounder, who has been helping others through her social media by amplifying their requests for aid, has represented India in 48 ODIs and 76 T20s. Sthalekar, the first player to achieve the double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets in women’s One-Day Internationals, felt the time has come for a player’ association for the Indian women’s team. “As a past player the ACA (Australian Cricketers’ Association) have reached out daily to see how we are and provided all kinds of services. If there was a need for a player association in (India) surely it is now.” The 41-year-old Sthalekar, now a commentator, said being looked after has become more important at the moment, with the pandemic wreaking havoc across the world.
“The stress, anxiety, fear and grief that many players have experienced through this pandemic will take its toll on them as individuals and inadvertently affect the game,” Sthalekar signed off. India is reeling under a devastating second wave of the pandemic with cases rising by over three lakh everyday and the crisis has been compounded by a shortage of some crucial medicines and oxygen supplies.