Smriti Mandhana can be handed captaincy after World Cup, says former India coach WV Raman

New Delhi [India], October 5 (ANI): Former women's cricket team coach WV Raman admitted that India is better prepared for the upcoming T20I series against Australia than they were for South Africa and England earlier in the year.
However, Raman feels the credit for the girls' preparation shouldn't go completely to The Hundred. "All this helps cricketers to be in touch with the game against high-quality teams and players but the entire dynamics is different be it in terms of conditions or be it in terms of approach everything is different.
"But I can see your point. Unlike the South Africa series at home or perhaps the England series they are far better prepared for Australia because they have international series under their belt," said Raman while replying to a query from ANI in a virtual press conference.
"For the girls who have done well, they will be confident, for the girls who have come in will be very excited to play international cricket. In one sentence, they are better prepared because of having played two international series as well as the fact that some went and played The Hundred format which made sure they were in touch with the game," he added.
Raman also said star Indian opener Smriti Mandhana can be handed over the reins of the side after the upcoming Women's World Cup irrespective of what the outcome is.
"Age factor shouldn't be criteria, you must be sure she is capable of handling it which I think she is. She is a very good reader of the game and there has to come a time where captaincy should be given to a younger cricketer," said Raman.
"So that you will have somebody captaining the side at a stretch of some years (4 or 5 years) and then we can take a call. Handing over the captaincy to her now won't be right as we are a few months away from the World Cup.
"So just to hold on to whatever is happening in recent past and perhaps maybe after the World Cup, regardless of the outcome I think the captaincy can be handed over to Smriti Mandhana," he added.
Fans can watch the 1st T20I of India's tour of Australia on Thursday at 2:10 pm along with 2nd T20I on October 9 and 3rd T20I on October 10 at 1:40 pm LIVE on SONY SIX (English) and SONY TEN 3 (Hindi) channels. (ANI)