Indian women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur on Tuesday announced her decision to relinquish captaincy across all three formats, bringing an end to a long leadership stint with the national side.
The 37-year-old made the announcement through her official Instagram account following a BCCI review meeting in Guwahati, where the team’s trajectory over the past few months was assessed.
The meeting was chaired by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and attended by Harmanpreet, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and head coach Amol Muzumdar.
Harmanpreet's Statement
“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,” Harmanpreet said in a lengthy statement.
“Now, I’m ready to play for the love of the game again. Captaincy ends. The journey continues,” she added.
Harmanpreet had led India’s T20I side for a decade after taking over the captaincy in 2016. She was handed the ODI captaincy in 2022 before becoming the all-format leader in 2023.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s Historic Captaincy Stint
Harmanpreet leaves the captaincy with a significant legacy. Under her leadership, India won its maiden Women’s ODI World Cup in November 2025, marking one of the biggest achievements in the history of Indian women’s cricket.
She also recently guided India to a second successive Asian Games gold medal in the T20 format at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.
Harmanpreet’s leadership career also saw her create a unique record by becoming the first cricketer, male or female, to captain a team in 150 T20 Internationals.
“I’m leaving the captaincy with a heart full of emotions, but also with peace. Because I genuinely believe my team is in a good place,” she said.
Who Will Replace Harmanpreet Kaur?
The BCCI selection committee is expected to meet with head coach Amol Muzumdar to decide Harmanpreet’s successor across the three formats.
Current vice-captain Smriti Mandhana is widely regarded as the frontrunner for the role. Mandhana has already led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a Women’s Premier League title and has significant leadership experience at the domestic and franchise level.
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Young batter Jemimah Rodrigues is another name being discussed as a potential future leadership option.
While Harmanpreet will no longer captain India, she is expected to remain an important member of the team as a senior player.
“Captaincy ends. The journey continues,” she said, signalling her intention to continue representing India and contribute as a player.