NEW DELHI: Senior opener Smriti Mandhana was on Tuesday appointed captain of the Indian women’s cricket team after Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down from the role following a leadership tenure that culminated in India’s maiden Women’s World Cup triumph in 2025.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Mandhana’s appointment shortly after Harmanpreet confirmed her decision to relinquish the captaincy across formats while continuing as a player.
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announces the appointment of Smriti Mandhana as the captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team,” the board said in a statement.
Harmanpreet informed the BCCI of her decision after a review meeting in Guwahati attended by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, head coach Amol Muzumdar and Mandhana.
“Leading India has been one of the greatest honours and privileges of my life,” Harmanpreet said. “After careful consideration, I believe that this is the right time for me to hand over the responsibility of captaincy and allow the team to move forward under new leadership.”
The 37-year-old said she would continue representing India and contribute to the team’s success as a player.
The BCCI paid tribute to Harmanpreet’s contribution, with president Mithun Manhas describing her captaincy as a significant chapter in Indian cricket history.
“Harmanpreet Kaur’s contribution as captain will always hold a special place in the history of Indian cricket,” Manhas said, adding that India’s 2025 Women’s World Cup victory would remain the defining achievement of her tenure.
Harmanpreet first became India’s regular T20I captain in 2016 and assumed ODI and Test leadership following Mithali Raj’s retirement in 2022. Under her captaincy, India reached the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup final, won silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, secured back-to-back Asian Games gold medals and lifted the Women’s ODI World Cup in 2025.
The veteran batter also became the most-capped player in women’s international cricket and the first cricketer to play 200 T20 internationals.
Mandhana, one of India’s most accomplished batters, has represented the national team since 2013 and scored more than 10,000 international runs across formats. The BCCI said she had played a key role in the growth of Indian women’s cricket and had demonstrated leadership credentials in both domestic and franchise cricket.
The board noted that Mandhana recently led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to Women’s Premier League titles in 2024 and 2026 and said she would now guide the national team as it enters a new phase.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia praised Harmanpreet’s achievements and said the World Cup-winning captain could take pride in her contribution to Indian cricket, while also welcoming her decision to remain available for national selection. (PTI)
