Smriti Mandhana has been appointed captain of the India women’s cricket team, succeeding Harmanpreet Kaur in a swift leadership change announced on the same day as her predecessor’s resignation.
Mandhana, the team’s left-handed opening batter and long-serving vice-captain, had been widely regarded as the leading candidate to take over from Harmanpreet. The speed of the announcement, however, came as a surprise, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India confirming Mandhana’s appointment within 12 hours of Harmanpreet announcing her decision to step down.
Harmanpreet announced her resignation on Tuesday morning, bringing an important chapter of her international leadership career to an end. Under her captaincy, India achieved major milestones, including winning the Women’s World Cup for the first time. Only a few days earlier, the Indian side had also secured gold at the Asian Games under her leadership.
In an emotional message posted on Instagram, Harmanpreet said leaving the captaincy had not been an easy decision. She referred to the years of memories, emotions and sacrifices associated with leading India and said she had given everything to the team and women’s cricket in the country.
She also said that her responsibilities as captain had at times required her to compromise on her own game. According to her message, she consistently placed the team’s interests ahead of her personal wishes and priorities.
The circumstances surrounding her resignation have nevertheless attracted attention. According to sources cited in the report, the board wanted Harmanpreet to continue as captain in Tests and one-day internationals but had considered removing her from the T20 leadership role. The proposal reportedly led to disagreement, after which Harmanpreet decided to relinquish the captaincy across all three formats.
The board then moved quickly to appoint her successor. Mandhana’s elevation was not unexpected, given her seniority within the current squad and her established role as one of India’s most dependable batters. Her experience as vice-captain had also placed her close to the team’s leadership structure for some time.
Mandhana is not new to captaincy. She currently leads Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women’s Premier League, where she has gained experience of managing a high-profile franchise side. She has also previously served as India’s stand-in captain in international matches.
During her previous spells in charge, India won all four of the one-day internationals in which she led the side. In T20 internationals, she has overseen 11 victories from 18 matches.
Her appointment therefore represents a change in leadership rather than a completely new direction for the team. Mandhana already has considerable international experience and has worked within the leadership group alongside Harmanpreet.
The transition also comes after a particularly successful period for Indian women’s cricket. Harmanpreet leaves the captaincy with significant achievements behind her, while Mandhana now inherits responsibility for maintaining the team’s competitiveness across formats.
As one of the most recognisable and experienced members of the squad, Mandhana will now have to balance her responsibilities as an opening batter with the demands of leading the side. Her tactical decisions, management of players and ability to handle pressure will come under greater scrutiny as she begins her tenure.
For Indian women’s cricket, the immediate change is clear: Harmanpreet’s era has ended, and Mandhana’s leadership chapter has begun with the board wasting little time in confirming its choice.
