Harmanpreet Kaur steps down as India women's captain after 211 games, passing baton to Smriti Mandhana
End of an era for Indian women's cricket
Harmanpreet Kaur is stepping down as captain of the India women's cricket team, ending an era in which she became the team's most influential leader and one of the most recognisable figures in the sport. The transition was ratified at a review meeting attended by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, coach Amol Muzumdar, Harmanpreet and incoming captain Smriti Mandhana.
Harmanpreet, 37, had led India to its first women's World Cup trophy in 2025, completing a landmark that had eluded the side in 2017 when her unbeaten 171 against Australia in the semi-final sparked a surge in interest in women's cricket in India. The side also won the Asia Cup and the Asian Games under her leadership in the year leading to the change.
The move was not entirely seamless. Reports suggest Harmanpreet was willing to relinquish the T20 captaincy immediately but wanted to continue leading in One-Day Internationals and Tests so younger players could benefit from her experience. The BCCI opted for a full leadership change and appointed 30-year-old Smriti Mandhana, her long-time deputy, as captain across all formats.
A leadership defined by fire and belief
Harmanpreet's captaincy was marked by an aggressive pursuit of victory and a willingness to be confrontational. Growing up in Moga district, Punjab, she faced scepticism about her ambition to play for India, a backdrop that shaped a captaincy style described as stubborn, audacious and fiercely unyielding.
"She was just playing by the rules," Harmanpreet insisted in strong defence of teammate Deepti Sharma after the run-out of Charlie Dean at the non-striker's end, choosing to protect India's right to win rather than manage controversy. The same directness saw her reprimand a broadcaster after India's historic series sweep, refusing to let the narrative be reduced to a controversy.
Her leadership was not without friction. She lost her temper with teammates, officials and pundits, and was once suspended for calling out partial umpiring in Bangladesh. Yet she could pivot from fury to support within seconds, consoling a 19-year-old Deepti Sharma moments after being furious with her in a World Cup semi-final, prioritising the team's chance to beat Australia over a personal milestone.
The instinct to back the unconventional defined her tenure. She backed a 15-year-old Shafali Verma for the 2020 T20 World Cup, and later recalled Verma as a replacement when India lost Pratika Rawal before the semi-final against Australia. Verma won Player of the Match in the final, helping India secure its maiden ICC silverware in the women's game.
Contentious calls were also part of her decade in charge. Dropping Mithali Raj for the 2018 T20 World Cup semi-final remains one of the most debated decisions. Harmanpreet defended it bluntly: "Sometimes it clicks, sometimes it doesn't, but no regrets." She also threw her weight behind coach Ramesh Powar during a public dispute, accepting the fallout of an unpopular decision based on how she saw the game.
Legacy beyond the trophy
On the field, Harmanpreet's own batting epitomised the push against accepted hierarchies. The 171* against Australia, played through illness, made a team not supposed to be made to look ordinary appear exactly that. Her century against New Zealand on World Cup captaincy debut in 2017 dragged India into the semi-finals after three first-round exits.
Australia remained the benchmark. She lost the 2020 final, the 2022 Commonwealth Games gold and the 2023 semi-final to Meg Lanning's side, but ensured India could never be taken for granted. The 2023 semi-final loss stung most, with Harmanpreet arriving at the press conference with tear-soaked eyes hidden behind dark shades after a run-out ended a brave chase.
Eight years later, in the 2025 World Cup, she watched from the sidelines after scoring a stroke-filled 89 in the semi-final as the generation she inspired finally broke the barrier. The final catch seemed to seek her out before nesting in her palms, and she celebrated by breaking into Bhangra with the world watching.
Opinion on the timing of her exit was divided. Former cricketer Diana Edulji felt Harmanpreet had done everything reasonably expected and that a younger captain was needed. Former captain Anjum Chopra argued her experience remained invaluable.
Sensing the BCCI was strongly inclined towards change after India's below-par T20 World Cup in England and her own dip in form, Harmanpreet opted to step down. She announced the decision in an emotional Instagram post:
"I feel I have done my duty. I gave this team everything I had. Now, it is time for me to turn the page… Blood. Sweat. Sacrifice. Pride. I gave it all. Now, I'm ready to play for the love of the game again. Captaincy ends, the journey continues."
Born into a modest family in Punjab's Moga city, Harmanpreet debuted for India in 2009 at 20 and became indispensable with explosive middle-order batting, crafty off-spin and sharp fielding. Succeeding Mithali Raj as T20 captain in 2016 and taking charge across formats in 2022, she leaves a formidable legacy for Smriti Mandhana to emulate.
