The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has named Smriti Mandhana as the new captain of the Indian women’s cricket team after Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down from the role on Tuesday.
Mandhana, 30, takes over the leadership after Kaur’s successful tenure, which included India’s historic women’s ODI World Cup triumph last year.
Mandhana Takes Charge as India Captain
Mandhana has been one of India’s most important batters in recent years and played a key role in the team’s Asian Games gold medal campaign in Japan.
She produced a standout performance in the final against Sri Lanka, scoring 79 runs from 45 balls to help India secure the gold medal.
Reacting to her appointment, Mandhana said leading India was a special honour and that she deeply valued the opportunity to represent and now captain the national team.
Mandhana’s International Career
The left-handed opening batter made her India debut in white-ball cricket in 2013.
Since then, she has represented India in all three formats, playing nine Tests, 120 ODIs and 179 T20 internationals.
The BCCI expressed confidence in Mandhana’s ability to lead the team, highlighting her commitment and professionalism throughout her career.
Harmanpreet Kaur Steps Down
Kaur announced her decision to resign as captain earlier on Tuesday through a social media post.
The 37-year-old said the decision was difficult and reflected on the memories, emotions and sacrifices associated with leading Indian women’s cricket.
Kaur said she had given everything to the team, including her time, effort and personal ambitions.
Despite stepping down as captain, she indicated that she intends to continue playing for India, saying that while her captaincy has ended, her cricketing journey continues.
Kaur’s Achievements as India Captain
Kaur leaves the leadership role after guiding India through several significant moments.
She recently led the team to an Asian Games gold medal in Japan and was also captain when India won their first women’s global title at last year’s ODI World Cup.
During her tenure as captain, Kaur led India in five Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20 internationals.
Pressure on Kaur’s Leadership
Questions over Kaur’s captaincy increased after India suffered a second consecutive group-stage exit from the T20 World Cup in June.
Her leadership was also reportedly discussed during a BCCI review meeting held on Monday.
The change in captaincy now marks the beginning of a new chapter for India’s women’s cricket team, with Mandhana set to take charge while Kaur remains available as a player.