India’s newly appointed all-format captain of the women’s team, Smriti Mandhana, paid tribute to the one leaving the post, Harmanpreet Kaur. The Indian opener hailed what Harmanpreet has achieved as a leader during her decade-long stint. Mandhana also made it clear that the change of guard does not mean the end of their journey together in Indian colours.
India’s new skipper will take charge from the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe. Before assuming the reins, she expressed her gratitude to the outgoing captain. Mandhana posted a message for Harmanpreet on her Instagram Story on Wednesday. She penned down her genuine admiration for Harmanpreet’s leadership, while also sending out a message that the two would continue working towards the same goal in a new era.
“It has been a pleasure playing with you for so many years. Ten years of your leadership have been fantastic, and together, we will strive to bring many more laurels for our nation,” Mandhana wrote. The message came a day after Harmanpreet Kaur announced her decision to step down as India’s captain across all formats. She revealed the decision through an Instagram post, bringing the curtain down on one of the most consequential leadership journeys in Indian cricket.
Deep Dive
What achievements did Harmanpreet Kaur have during her tenure as captain of the Indian women's team?
How is Smriti Mandhana's leadership style expected to differ from Harmanpreet Kaur's?
What does Smriti Mandhana aim to achieve as the new captain of the Indian women's cricket team?
Smriti Mandhana set to begin a new chapter
Smriti Mandhana is taking over the Indian team after already establishing herself as one of its senior-most members. Besides, Mandhana has also enjoyed considerable success in franchise cricket, leading RCB to two WPL titles in four years. She will officially assume charge when India’s tour of Zimbabwe begins on October 16.
{{/usCountry}}Smriti Mandhana is taking over the Indian team after already establishing herself as one of its senior-most members. Besides, Mandhana has also enjoyed considerable success in franchise cricket, leading RCB to two WPL titles in four years. She will officially assume charge when India’s tour of Zimbabwe begins on October 16.
{{/usCountry}}Harmanpreet, meanwhile, steps down as Indian captain on a high. Her final assignment at the helm was the 2026 Asian Games, where India won the gold medal. It was a remarkable feat, especially because India successfully defended their title. Her crowning achievement as the captain of India, however, came in 2025. The women’s team won the ODI World Cup on home soil for the first time in their history, defeating South Africa in the final. That triumph also made Harmanpreet only the third Indian captain to win an ODI World Cup after Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni.
Harmanpreet’s tenure began in 2016, when she started captaining the Indian team in the T20 format. She later assumed leadership in Tests and ODIs in 2022, following Mithali Raj’s retirement. Besides steering India to an ODI World Cup triumph, she also guided them to the 2020 T20 World Cup final and a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. During her time at the helm, Harmanpreet led India in 155 T20Is, 51 ODIs and five Tests.
Harmanpreet also carved out a record through her longevity in the shortest format of the game. She became the first-ever captain in international cricket, male or female, to lead a team in more than 150 T20Is. Even after relinquishing the captaincy, Harmanpreet intends to keep going for India. Smriti Mandhana’s message also reinforced the same from the other side of the transition: the captaincy might have changed hands, but two of India’s biggest cricketing assets will continue chasing success together.