Harmanpreet Kaur has resigned as captain of the Indian women’s cricket team in all three international formats following a decade’s grasp of leadership from 2013 to 2023. The 37-year-old announced her retirement on October 6, 2026 stating that she would still continue to play for India.
Her choice is a monumental shift for Indian women’s cricket, especially since Harmanpreet has been the captain when India won their first ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title in 2025. After that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Smriti Mandhana as a new captain.
Harmanpreet Kaur Steps Down as India Captain
Harmanpreet Kaur to give up India captaincy of Tests, ODIs and T20Is. She called the decision an emotional one after all those years of memories, sacrifices and obligation. Harmanpreet reiterated in her statement that resigning from captaincy doesn’t mean the end of her international career. Moving forward, she plans to stay available with a view to becoming a member of the Indian workforce again.
Harmanpreet’s resignation was with immediate effect, the ICC confirmed. She was appointed as the full-time T20I captain for India in 2016 and then took over the reins of ODI and Test teams following Mithali Raj’s retirement in 2022.
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Why Did Harmanpreet Kaur Quit Captaincy?
Notably, the development from Harmanpreet came soon after a review meeting conducted by the BCCI in Guwahati. BCCI officials, selectors and head coach Amol Muzumdar were among these present at the meeting along with Harmanpreet and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana.
Selectors reportedly felt the need for a leadership transition before the next World Cup cycle, giving them an opportunity to move on. There were discussions around India’s poor showing at the T20 World Cup under Harmanpreet, as this was the second successive edition that the team had been unable to progress beyond the group stage.
But theBCCI message was more about acknowledging Harmanpreet apart from offering any criticism of her captaincy. Her captaining has been key to a few landmark moments in Indian women’s cricket history [since October 2023, as per the BCCI].
Harmanpreet Kaur’s Captaincy Career
Harmanpreet’s confusing India captain trip started without any view in 2012 Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami having missed the Women’s T20 Asia Cup final against Pakistan, Harmanpreet was handed over the captaincy duty.
Harmanpreet got an early taste of leading India, as they registered an 18-run victory in that match. The full-time captain for T20Is in 2016, she assumed as the ODI and Test captain in 2022. As captain, she’s captained India in 211 international matches across formats, including a whopping 150 T20Is. She was also the first captain in women’s T20I history to reach 150 games, achieving that milestone in September 2026.
Harmanpreet Kaur as India Captain
| Format | Captaincy matches |
| Test | 5 |
| ODI | 51 |
| T20I | 155 |
| Total | 211 |
Historic 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup Victory
The highlight of Harmanpreet Kaur’s captaincy came in 2025 when India won their first Women’s ODI World Cup. That made the achievement all the more special as India reached the Women’s World Cup final in both 2005 and 2017 but failed to win.
India finally laid its hands on the trophy at home under Harmanpreet after negotiating a final hurdle. The triumph now saw Harmanpreet in the company of former men’s World Cup winning Indian skippers Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni as an Indian captain who has achieved a 50-over World Cup title with a team. Thus, the legacy she leaves as captain transcends the stats. One of the greatest achievements in the history of Indian women’s cricket was on her watch.
Harmanpreet Kaur Will Continue as a Player
Although Harmanpreet has quit as captain, she has not announced her retirement from international cricket. She will continue to play for India, giving the team an experienced middle-order batter and senior member of the squad. In her farewell message, Harmanpreet indicated that she is ready to return to focusing on cricket without the additional responsibilities that come with being captain. This could allow her to concentrate more heavily on her batting and her role within the team. Her experience will also be valuable to India’s younger players as the side enters a new leadership era.
Smriti Mandhana Named New India Women’s Captain
Following Harmanpreet’s resignation, the BCCI announced Smriti Mandhana as the new captain of the Indian women’s cricket team. Mandhana has been part of India’s international setup since 2013 and had already served as Harmanpreet’s deputy. She had also gained captaincy experience in international and franchise cricket.
The BCCI confirmed that Mandhana will take responsibility as the full-time white-ball captain. She has previously captained India in 18 T20Is and four ODIs, giving her international leadership experience before taking the permanent role. Mandhana has also enjoyed success as captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women’s Premier League, leading the franchise to titles in 2024 and 2026.
Smriti Mandhana’s First Challenge as Captain
Mandhana’s first assignment as India’s new captain will come against Zimbabwe. India are scheduled to play three T20Is and three ODIs against Zimbabwe beginning October 16, 2026.
India vs Zimbabwe Series Schedule
| Match | Date | Venue |
| 1st T20I | October 16 | Raipur |
| 2nd T20I | October 18 | Raipur |
| 3rd T20I | October 20 | Raipur |
| 1st ODI | October 23 | Vadodara |
| 2nd ODI | October 25 | Vadodara |
| 3rd ODI | October 28 | Vadodara |
Harmanpreet has been included in both the T20I and ODI squads, meaning fans will get to see her continue playing under Mandhana’s leadership.
What Harmanpreet Kaur Leaves Behind
Harmanpreet Kaur quits at the helm leaving a huge legacy in Indian women cricketAnswers to all your questions! She was a prominent figure in Indian women’s cricket and assumed one of the most recognisable roles for Indian women’s cricket,helping the team being competitive consistently on grander international stages. During her stint at the helm, India won major tournaments and made history by winning the Women’s ODI World Cup in 2025.
And her journey in turn has not always been smooth. India did not qualify for the knockout stages of the T20 World Cup in two successive editions before this latest review reopened discussions about their course. However, her legacy within the Indian women’s game is undeniable. BCCI itself praised Mandhana after she led the women’s team against England and hailed her contribution as a captain, while this is not new that when Mandhana took over captaincy Harmanpreet also tweeted about it.
A New Era for Indian Women’s Cricket
Switching Harmanpreet Kaur with Smriti Mandhana is a monumental change for the Indian women’s team. Harmanpreet has left behind a team that has already reached the pinnacle of ODI cricket after becoming World Cup winners for 2025. That side of transition will now be Mandhana’s legacy to have and she is expected to guide India through the next phase of its international journey.
The move also allows Harmanpreet to focus on her career as a player. The appointment is also the most historic leadership responsibility of her international career for Mandhana as well. Thus India’s Zimbabwe series will be watched closely as the Smriti Mandhana captaincy era takes shape.
Conclusion
Harmanpreet Kaur’s decision to quit as India’s women’s cricket captain brings one of the most important leadership chapters in Indian women’s cricket to an end. From taking over the T20I captaincy in 2016 to becoming India’s all-format leader and eventually lifting the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup trophy, Harmanpreet has been at the centre of the team’s development for years.
She will now continue as a player, while Smriti Mandhana takes over the captaincy and begins a new chapter for Indian women’s cricket. The leadership may have changed, but Harmanpreet Kaur’s journey with Indian cricket is not over. As the team moves forward under Mandhana, her experience and presence will remain an important part of India’s squad.
