Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down as captain of India’s women’s cricket team across all three formats, ending a reign of roughly 10 years at the helm. Smriti Mandhana, 30, has been named as her successor, the Board of Control for Cricket in India confirmed.
Kaur announced the decision on Instagram, writing that the choice was not easy. “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 wrote.
The Main Development
Kaur captained India in five Tests, 51 one-day internationals and 155 T20 internationals during her tenure. She first led the side as a stand-in at the 2012 Women’s T20 Asia Cup, winning the title, before taking over full-time as T20 captain in 2016. She added the ODI captaincy in 2022, after Mithali Raj retired, and became all-format leader in 2023.
“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 wrote. She added a shorter message summing up her tenure: “I feel I have done my duty. I gave this team everything I had.”
Mandhana had already captained India in 18 T20Is and four ODIs while serving as Kaur’s deputy. Upon her appointment, she called the role “a very special honour.” “Representing India has always meant a great deal to me, and to now have the opportunity to lead the team is something I will value deeply,” Mandhana said.
What It Means
Kaur’s exit caps a tenure defined by a breakthrough achievement. She led India to its first-ever global women’s title at the 2025 50-over World Cup on home soil, a result that stands as the signature achievement of her captaincy. Her final match in charge of the Test side was a 270-run win over England at Lord’s in July, the first women’s Test staged at the ground. Her last assignment overall came last month, when India beat Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final to claim a second straight Asian Games gold.
BCCI president Mithun Manhas credited Kaur’s impact on the sport. “Harmanpreet Kaur’s contribution as captain will always hold a special place in the history of Indian cricket,” Manhas said.
Kaur had previously spoken about wanting to lead India through the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, for which the team has already qualified. She changed course after a team review meeting with BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, head coach Amol Muzumdar and vice-captain Mandhana, according to the Houston Chronicle. The sources do not detail what specifically emerged from that meeting beyond the decision itself.
Context: A Decade Of Firsts
This year, Kaur became the most-capped international player in women’s cricket, adding to a resume that already included the 2012 Asia Cup title as stand-in skipper and the 2025 World Cup crown. Her stint bridged three different captaincy roles, T20, ODI and Test, before she consolidated all three under one title in 2023.
In parting, she framed the move as a shift rather than an ending. “Captaincy may end today, but my love for Indian cricket never will. Blood.
Sweat. Sacrifice. Pride.
I gave it all. Now, I’m ready to play for the love of the game again,” Kaur said. She will continue to be available as a player, though the sources do not specify whether she will feature in India’s upcoming series under Mandhana.
What’s Next
Mandhana’s first assignment as full-time captain comes when India hosts Zimbabwe for three T20 internationals and three ODIs starting Oct. 16. India then travels to South Africa for a tour in December.
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