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Smriti Mandhana has been named the new captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, taking over from Harmanpreet Kaur, who stepped down from the captaincy across all three formats earlier on Monday.
Mandhana will start her full-time stint as India’s white-ball captain with the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe.
Mandhana Takes Over From Harmanpreet
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed Mandhana’s appointment through an official release. The decision comes shortly after Harmanpreet announced her decision to give up the captaincy.
Mandhana is no stranger to leading the Indian team. She has previously captained India in both ODIs and T20Is whenever the regular captain was unavailable. She has led the side in 18 T20Is and four ODIs.
The 29-year-old has also gained considerable leadership experience in franchise cricket. She is the captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and guided the team to WPL titles in 2024 and 2026.
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One Of India’s Most Experienced Players
Mandhana has been a regular member of the Indian team since making her international debut in 2013. Over the years, she has established herself as one of the biggest names in women’s cricket.
The left-handed batter from Sangli is also among the leading run-scorers in international women’s cricket and holds the record for the most runs in women’s T20I cricket.
The BCCI said Mandhana’s experience and leadership in international, domestic and franchise cricket made her a natural choice for the role.
“Smriti has been one of the leading figures in Indian women’s cricket over the years and has played a key role in the team’s progress across formats,” the BCCI said in its release.
Mandhana Reacts To New Role
Mandhana described the opportunity to captain India as a special moment in her career.
She thanked the BCCI, selectors, teammates and everyone who had supported her journey, while also acknowledging the contribution made by Harmanpreet during her time as captain.
Mandhana said she understood the responsibility that came with the new role and was looking forward to working with the team as India entered a new phase.
“I understand the responsibility that comes with this role and look forward to working with the team, learning along the way and giving my best to take Indian cricket forward,” Mandhana said.
New Era For Indian Women’s Cricket
Mandhana’s appointment marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Indian women’s team after Harmanpreet’s long stint as captain.
With the Zimbabwe T20I series set to be her first assignment as the full-time white-ball captain, Mandhana will now look to build on the progress made by the team in recent years while taking on one of the biggest leadership roles in Indian cricket.
