Harmanpreet Kaur Steps Down as Captain of Indian Women's Cricket Team
Harmanpreet Kaur Resigns from Captaincy
File image of Indian women cricket player Harmanpreet Kaur(Photo: @AarvikAA1/X)
New Delhi, Oct 6: Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain who led the Indian women's team to its first ODI World Cup victory, has announced her resignation from captaincy across all formats. She has been the full-time T20I captain since 2018 and took over the ODI captaincy in 2022 from the iconic Mithali Raj.
In an emotional post on Instagram, Kaur 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 expressed her dedication 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.” Kaur emphasized that she often prioritized the team's needs over her own personal growth.
Reflecting on her captaincy, she mentioned, “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. But every decision I made was with one intention - to make this TEAM better.”
Kaur made history by becoming the first female captain to guide India to a senior ICC World Cup title, achieving this feat by defeating South Africa on home soil.
She shared her journey, stating, “I have seen it all. I have seen the lowest moments, the heartbreak, the criticism, the doubts and the days when nothing seemed to go our way. And I have also experienced the highest highs - the victories, the celebrations, the pride of representing our country.”
Under her leadership, the Indian women's team secured four Asia Cup titles in 2012, 2016, 2022, and 2026, and clinched consecutive gold medals at the Asian Games in Hangzhou 2022 and Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
Kaur concluded her announcement with a sense of fulfillment, stating, “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 expressed gratitude to her teammates, coaches, and fans for their unwavering support.
Among her significant achievements, Kaur led India to its first bilateral Women's ODI series victory in England since 1999 and secured a historic Test match win against Australia in 2023. She also achieved a T20I series victory against England in 2025.
Notably, she surpassed renowned male captains like MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma by becoming the first cricketer to captain a team in over 150 T20I matches. Earlier this year, under her guidance, the team triumphed over England by 270 runs in the inaugural women's Test match at Lord's Cricket Ground.