Smriti Mandhana Takes Over as Captain Following Harmanpreet Kaur's Resignation
Transition in Leadership
On Wednesday, Smriti Mandhana, the newly appointed captain of the Indian women's cricket team, expressed her gratitude towards Harmanpreet Kaur, who has stepped down after a successful tenure. Mandhana reflected on the decade spent under Kaur's leadership, emphasizing their shared goal of achieving further success for the nation. Harmanpreet announced her resignation from the captaincy across all formats via an Instagram post on Tuesday, following her remarkable achievement of leading India to a gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games.
Mandhana shared her sentiments on Instagram, stating, "It has been a pleasure playing with you for so many years. Ten years of your leadership have been fantastic, and together, we will strive to bring many more laurels for our nation."
Harmanpreet's Difficult Decision
Harmanpreet described her decision to resign as challenging, filled with memories, emotions, and sacrifices from her captaincy journey. She acknowledged the personal costs of her leadership, often prioritizing the team's needs over her own ambitions. In her Instagram message, she stated, "Today, I step down as captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team across all formats. This is not an easy decision. It carries years of memories, emotions, sacrifices, and moments that will stay with me for the rest of my life."
She highlighted her commitment to the team, saying, "I have given everything I had to this team and to Indian women’s cricket — my blood, my sweat, my time, and many times, a part of my own game and personal ambitions."
Achievements and Legacy
Harmanpreet's most significant accomplishment as captain was leading India to its first ODI World Cup title in 2025. She reflected on the tough decisions she had to make, always aiming to enhance the team's performance and support player development. "As a captain, I have had to make difficult decisions. Decisions that were not always understood, not always easy, and sometimes came at a personal cost," she noted.
Despite the challenges, she leaves the captaincy with pride, believing the team is well-positioned for the future. "I leave the captaincy today with a heart full of emotions, but also with peace. Because I genuinely believe my team is in a good place," she added.
Gratitude and Future Plans
Harmanpreet expressed her gratitude to teammates, coaches, support staff, and fans for their unwavering support throughout her journey. She stated, "Thank you to every teammate, coach, support staff, management, BCCI, family members, and every single fan who stood by me through the highs and lows. Blood. Sweat. Sacrifice. Pride. I gave it all. Now, I’m ready to play for the love of the game again."
Harmanpreet's Captaincy Journey
Harmanpreet began her captaincy in T20Is in 2016 and became the full-time ODI and Test captain in 2022. Her leadership has placed her among a select group of Indian captains, including Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni, who have won a 50-over World Cup. She is now one of only five Indian captains to have lifted a World Cup trophy.
Her tenure in T20I captaincy is notable, having led India to the semi-finals in the 2018 and 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cups and to the final in 2020. Kaur's leadership in 155 T20Is makes her the first captain in international cricket to achieve this milestone. Her final assignment concluded with India winning a second consecutive gold medal at the Asian Games.
Mandhana's New Chapter
As Mandhana prepares to lead the team in the upcoming ODI and T20I series against Zimbabwe, she steps into a role that promises new challenges and opportunities. Harmanpreet's legacy will undoubtedly influence the team's future as they continue to strive for excellence in women's cricket.