Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down as India Women captain across all three formats, announcing it on Instagram. She led India to the 2025 ODI World Cup title, and Smriti Mandhana is the frontrunner to succeed her.
Harmanpreet Kaur, 37, has stepped down as captain of the India women's team in Tests, ODIs and T20Is. She announced the decision in an Instagram post on Tuesday 6 October 2026, as ESPNcricinfo reported. According to ESPNcricinfo, she led India in five Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is. Her post said: "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." She says she is ready to play for the love of the game again, so she stays in the squad as a player. Smriti Mandhana is the frontrunner to take over, according to Cricbuzz, though nothing has been announced officially.
| The decision at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Player | Harmanpreet Kaur, 37 |
| Captaincy start | First led India in 2012 |
| As captain | 5 Tests, 51 ODIs, 155 T20Is (211 matches) |
| Biggest title | 2025 ODI World Cup, India's first women's global title |
| Last assignment | Asian Games gold defended in Nisshin, India's second in a row |
| Announcement | Instagram post, Tuesday 6 October 2026 |
| Guwahati meeting | 5 October 2026, with Smriti Mandhana, head coach Amol Muzumdar and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia |
| Likely successor | Smriti Mandhana, per Cricbuzz (not officially announced) |
A long tenure with a World Cup at the end of it
Harmanpreet first led India in 2012, and the numbers since then run to 211 matches as captain. The high point came in 2025, when she led India to the ODI World Cup, the first women's global title in the country's history.
Her last job as captain was defending India's Asian Games gold medal. India won it in Nisshin last month, their second successive title in the event.
What comes next
- She keeps playing: Harmanpreet has said she is ready to play for the love of the game again. The captaincy is what she is giving up.
- Mandhana in line: Cricbuzz names vice-captain Smriti Mandhana as the frontrunner to captain India across formats. No official announcement has been made.
- The roadmap talk: On Monday 5 October, a day before the announcement, Harmanpreet, Mandhana and head coach Amol Muzumdar met BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia in Guwahati to discuss where the women's team goes from here.
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