Home / Sports / Harmanpreet Kaur Steps Down as India Cricket Captain
Harmanpreet Kaur Steps Down as India Cricket Captain
7 Oct
Summary
- Smriti Mandhana appointed new all-format captain starting October 16.
- Harmanpreet Kaur captained India to their maiden ODI World Cup title.
- Kaur led India to two consecutive Asian Games gold medals.
- Harmanpreet Kaur captained more than 150 T20Is, a world record.
Smriti Mandhana has been named the new all-format captain of the Indian women's cricket team, taking over from Harmanpreet Kaur for the tour of Zimbabwe commencing October 16. Mandhana expressed her pleasure in playing under Kaur's leadership for a decade and pledged to continue bringing laurels to the nation.
Kaur announced her decision to step down as captain across all formats, citing years of memories, emotions, and sacrifices. Her most significant achievement was leading India to their maiden ODI World Cup title in 2025. She also guided the team to a second consecutive gold medal at the Asian Games.
Harmanpreet Kaur's captaincy journey, which began in T20Is in 2016 and became full-time in 2022, saw her lead India in 155 T20Is, setting a world record for the most matches captained in the format. She also captained five Tests and 51 ODIs, including a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Kaur departs the captaincy with a sense of peace and pride, believing the team is in a strong position. She affirmed her continued commitment to playing for India despite relinquishing the leadership role.
