New Delhi, October 6 (Sports Desk)
Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down as captain of the Indian women’s cricket team across all three formats, bringing an end to a leadership tenure highlighted by India’s historic maiden ODI World Cup triumph in 2025.
The 37-year-old announced her decision on Tuesday, following a review meeting held by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in Guwahati to assess the team’s recent performances and future direction.
Harmanpreet will, however, continue to represent India as a player.
In a social media statement, Harmanpreet said stepping down was not an easy decision but expressed confidence in the team’s future. She concluded with the message: “Captaincy ends. The journey continues.”
A Historic Captaincy Tenure
Under Harmanpreet’s leadership, India won its first-ever ODI Women’s World Cup on home soil in 2025, marking one of the biggest milestones in the history of Indian women’s cricket.
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Her final assignment as captain came at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, where India successfully defended its cricket gold medal. Just two weeks earlier, India had also won a record eighth Women’s Asia Cup title under her leadership.
Harmanpreet first captained India in 2012 during a T20I against Pakistan at the Asia Cup in Guangzhou. She became the permanent T20I captain in 2016 and took charge of the ODI team in 2022 following Mithali Raj’s retirement. In 2023, she became India’s captain across all three formats.
During her captaincy, Harmanpreet led India in five Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is, holding the record for the most matches as captain in women’s T20I cricket.
She also guided India to a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and led the team to the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup final. India won four Asia Cup titles during her tenure.
Smriti Mandhana Likely to Take Over
The BCCI has yet to officially announce Harmanpreet’s successor. However, Smriti Mandhana, who has served as India’s vice-captain, is widely expected to be the leading contender for the role.
Harmanpreet’s decision marks the end of a significant chapter in Indian women’s cricket, but her journey with the national team will continue as a player.
