NEW DELHI, October 7, 2026 : India’s only World Cup-winning women’s cricket captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, has stepped down as captain across all three formats, bringing an end to a decade-long leadership journey with the Indian women’s team.
The 37-year-old announced her decision on Tuesday following a BCCI review meeting in Guwahati that assessed the team’s performance and future direction.
Harmanpreet, however, will continue to represent India as a player across Tests, ODIs and T20Is.
“I Feel I Have Done My Duty”
Announcing her decision, Harmanpreet said the choice was not easy but expressed pride in having led Indian women’s cricket through some of its most significant moments.
“I feel I have done my duty. I gave this team everything I had,” she said, adding that she carried the responsibility with pride and would always remain grateful for the opportunity to lead the country.
The veteran batter said that while the captaincy was ending, her commitment to Indian cricket was not.
She described the decision as turning a new page in her career and said she was now ready to “play for the love of the game again.”
A Decade as T20 Captain
Harmanpreet’s leadership journey began in India’s T20I setup in 2016, when she took over as captain of the shortest format.
She became India’s ODI captain in 2022 before assuming leadership across all three formats in 2023.
During her tenure, she led India through some of the most important tournaments in women’s cricket, including the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the Asian Games and the historic 2025 ODI World Cup triumph.
India’s Historic World Cup Triumph
The biggest achievement of Harmanpreet’s captaincy came when India won its maiden Women’s ODI World Cup last year.
The historic triumph represented a landmark moment for Indian women’s cricket and cemented Harmanpreet’s place in the country’s cricket history.
Under her leadership, India also secured a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and won a second successive Asian Games gold medal in T20 cricket.
Her tenure therefore included some of the most significant achievements in the history of the women’s national team.
Leadership Across Three Formats
Harmanpreet captained India in an extensive number of international matches.
Her leadership record includes:
- 5 Tests
- 51 ODIs
- 155 T20Is
Over the years, she became one of the most recognisable figures in Indian women’s cricket and one of the country’s most experienced international players.
“Blood, Sweat, Sacrifice and Pride”
In her emotional statement, Harmanpreet acknowledged the personal sacrifices that came with leading the national team.
She said that she had given her blood, sweat, time and, at times, a part of her own game and personal ambitions to the team’s cause.
There were occasions when she said she placed her individual performance and personal goals behind the team’s needs because she believed the team had to come first.
She also acknowledged that leadership involved making difficult decisions — decisions that were not always understood and sometimes came at a personal cost.
According to Harmanpreet, however, her intention behind every decision was to make the team better and create opportunities for younger players to develop confidence and reach their potential.
A Difficult Period Before the Decision
Harmanpreet’s decision comes after a challenging period for both herself and the Indian team.
India failed to qualify for the T20 World Cup semi-finals earlier this year, while Harmanpreet’s individual batting form, particularly in the T20 format, also came under scrutiny.
The criticism intensified in recent months, with former players including Diana Edulji publicly advocating for vice-captain Smriti Mandhana to take over the leadership role.
The BCCI subsequently held a review meeting to assess the team’s recent performances and future plans.
Smriti Mandhana Emerges as Front-Runner
With Harmanpreet stepping aside, Smriti Mandhana is widely viewed as the leading candidate to become India’s next all-format captain.
Mandhana has previously spoken about her ambitions to lead the national side and has already served as Harmanpreet’s vice-captain.
A leadership transition would mark the beginning of a new era for the Indian women’s team, with Mandhana potentially taking charge of a side that has already established itself as a major force in international women’s cricket.
Harmanpreet’s Message to the Team
Despite stepping down, Harmanpreet expressed confidence in the future of the Indian team.
She said she had experienced the full range of emotions during her leadership — from heartbreaking defeats, criticism and difficult periods to major victories, celebrations and the pride of representing India.
She said she was leaving the captaincy “with a heart full of emotions, but also with peace.”
The veteran cricketer believes the team is in a strong position, describing it as a side possessing talent, character, belief and a promising future.
No Retirement From International Cricket
Importantly, Harmanpreet has not retired from international cricket.
She will continue playing for India across formats, meaning fans will still have the opportunity to watch one of the country’s most experienced women’s cricketers represent the national team.
Her transition from captain to senior player could also allow her to concentrate more heavily on her batting and on contributing to the team’s younger generation.
The End of One Era, Beginning of Another
Harmanpreet Kaur’s departure from the captaincy marks the end of one of the most important leadership eras in Indian women’s cricket.
From taking charge of the T20 team in 2016 to lifting India’s historic ODI World Cup title, she has played a central role in the transformation and growth of women’s cricket in the country.
Now, she is handing over the leadership responsibility while remaining part of the team she helped build.
Her message is clear: the captaincy ends, but the journey does not.
For Indian women’s cricket, a new chapter is about to begin — but Harmanpreet Kaur’s contribution to the team’s history will remain firmly etched in the record books.
