AIFF women’s committee head Valanka Alemao has demanded answers after a “series of blunders” marred India’s Women’s Asian Cup campaign in Australia. The issues, ranging from ill-fitting jerseys to questionable administrative decisions, have triggered serious concerns over the federation’s functioning.

India’s on-field campaign saw moments of promise, including a competitive 1-2 loss to Vietnam, but defeats to Japan and Chinese Taipei meant they exited the tournament winless. However, the bigger controversy unfolded off the pitch, with players even forced to raise concerns publicly over basic facilities. In a letter to AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, Alemao called for accountability. Speaking in the letter, she said:

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“…questions must be asked and answers sought from those responsible for the series of blunders concerning the team as it has caused huge embarrassment to the country at large.”

She also urged immediate action and a detailed review of decisions taken ahead of the tournament.

“Who decided to appoint Amelia Valverde of Costa Rica as the head coach along with her two assistants in January 2026 by sidelining Crispin Chhetri just six weeks before the tournament? What was the procedure that was followed for her appointment?”

“In the Women’s Committee Meeting in December 2025, I had mentioned several areas that needed to be attended to with regard to preparations, travel, stay, kits, etc. But everything was goofed up… Who decided to out-source all arrangements?”

Alemao further alleged that key bodies, including the Executive Committee and Women’s Committee, were not consulted on major decisions, raising questions over transparency.

WHAT WAS THE JERSEY CONTROVERSY?

One of the most striking issues during the tournament was the jersey fiasco, which highlighted deeper administrative lapses. The Indian team reportedly received ill-fitting kits just days before their opening match in Australia, forcing players to seek urgent intervention.

The consignment was delayed initially, and when it finally arrived at the team hotel, players found the jerseys were of incorrect sizes. In response, all 26 members of the squad signed a letter to AIFF officials, expressing frustration over the situation and its impact on their preparation and morale.

“…what happened to the kits provided to the Indian team? Who sent ill-fitting jerseys meant for junior players to Australia. Two days before the first match, the players had to ensure such bizarre shocks.”

“News spread like wildfire that the local organisers helped the team secure proper jerseys. These questions must be raised and those who are responsible for such blunders which has brought shame to the nation must be taken to task.”

Alemao also criticised the team’s preparation, pointing out that India played limited friendlies against weaker opposition and questioned logistical decisions such as training locations and outsourced arrangements.

With India finishing bottom of the group after three losses and conceding heavily, the focus has now shifted to administrative accountability. Alemao’s letter has intensified pressure on the AIFF to address governance issues and ensure such lapses are not repeated.

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Former India batter Mohammad Kaif wants the three-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to groom Rinku Singh as the future captain, saying it can prove to be a long-term investment. In the upcoming IPL 2026 season, Ajinkya Rahane will be leading the franchise, and it remains to be seen how the team performs after last year’s disappointment, when it failed to make it to the playoffs.

KKR have been hit with multiple injuries. Harshit Rana and Akash Deep are all set to miss the entire IPL 2026 season, while Matheesha Pathirana will be joining the team late as he is yet to recover from his injury.

Kaif, who has observed Rinku from close quarters as the latter has been leading Uttar Pradesh for quite some time now, feels that the left-handed batter can take his game to the next level if he is able to lead KKR.

“He has the mental strength to handle captaincy and batting together. They have a ready guy. Now it remains to be seen if they give him the captaincy after Rahane, do it mid-season, or make him the vice-captain. Just get him in the mix, it will be a long-term investment for KKR,” he added.

“Even that call was taken very late. Rahane was picked towards the end of the auction, which means he was not in the plans for captaincy. It felt like they were looking for a future captain when they spent INR 23-24 crore for Venkatesh Iyer. But they later went with Rahane because of his captaincy experience,” said Kaif.

The IPL 2026 season will begin on March 28 with the tournament opener between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad. KKR will begin their campaign on March 29 against the five-time champions, the Mumbai Indians.