Ramesh Powar’s tenure as head coach of the India women’s team has ended, a little over two months before the start of the next T20 World Cup in South Africa.

India will be without a head coach for the upcoming five-match T20I series at home against Australia, which begins in Mumbai on Friday. The women’s support staff will be headed by former India all-rounder Hrishikesh Kanitkar, who has been named the batting coach.

Powar is set to return to his role as spin-bowling coach at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).

The BCCI has termed Powar’s switch to men’s cricket at the NCA as part of a “restructuring module”. He joins VVS Laxman at the NCA, a position he held previously at the NCA between 2019 and 2020.

Kanitkar’s appointment, however, has raised questions about its validity. His appointment wasn’t through the Cricket Advisory Committee as has been laid down in the BCCI constitution. The BCCI was silent on this aspect in its media release.

There is also no mention of who would be the next head coach and when he would be appointed.