Harmanpreet’s decision comes after she guided India to the gold medal at the Asian Games 2026. Mandhana succeeds Harmanpreet from the tour of Zimbabwe starting October 16, with the red-hot two-time Women’s Premier League (WPL) winner with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) set to start a new chapter in her career. Harmanpreet stepped down as the captain of the Indian women’s cricket team across all formats.
India’s newly appointed skipper Smriti Mandhana on Wednesday congratulated outgoing captain Harmanpreet Kaur at the end of a highly successful captaincy stint, saying it was a pleasure playing under her leadership for a decade and that they would strive to bring more laurels to the nation. She announced her decision in a post on Instagram on Tuesday.
Harmanpreet’s most notable achievement as captain came in 2025, when she led India to their maiden ODI World Cup title. Her World Cup triumph placed her alongside Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni as only the third Indian captain to win a 50-over World Cup. She is one of only five Indian captains to have lifted a World Cup, alongside Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav , who led India to T20 World Cup glory in 2024 and 2026, respectively. Kaur led India in 155 T20Is, becoming the first captain in international cricket, male or female, to lead a team in more than 150 matches in the format. Her final assignment as captain ended on another high, with India securing a second consecutive gold medal at the Asian Games, following their triumph in 2023.
Because i believed the team had to come first,” Kaur said in the Instagram post, there were moments when I had to put my individual performance, my own growth, and what I wanted for myself aside,.
Harmanpreet said the decision was not easy and reflected years of memories, emotions and sacrifices during her time as captain. She said she had given everything to the team and Indian women’s cricket, at times putting aside her individual performance, personal growth and ambitions for the team’s interests. Harmanpreet said she had to make difficult decisions as captain, often at a personal cost, but always with the aim of improving the team and helping players grow and reach their potential. But every decision I made was with one intention – to make this TEAM better and to give other players the opportunity to grow, believe in themselves and become the best versions of themselves,” she said. Harmanpreet said her captaincy journey included both difficult and triumphant moments, but she leaves the role with peace, pride and a belief that the team is in a strong position. She said she had fulfilled her duty, gave everything to Indian women’s cricket and would continue to remain committed to the team despite stepping down as captain.
This is not an easy decision. It carries years of memories, emotions, sacrifices, and moments that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I have given everything I had to this team and to Indian women’s cricket – my blood, my sweat, my time, and many times, a part of my own game and personal ambitions. “As a captain, I have had to make difficult decisions. Decisions that were not always understood, not always easy, and sometimes came at a personal cost. She has since joined an even more exclusive club. Her longevity as a T20I captain is equally remarkable. her leadership journey has been marked by several other significant milestones While the World Cup victory will forever stand as the crowning achievement of Kaur’s captaincy.
“Today, I step down as captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team across all formats.
