India women cricket is all set for a new captaincy, as Harmanpreet Kaur has announced her decision to give up captaincy in all formats. The 37-year-old announced this on Tuesday, after leading India in 10 years in T20Is, 4 years in ODIs and Tests. She left captaincy after one of the most successful eras of Indian women cricket, including India’s first Women’s Cricket World Cup title on home soil in 2025 as well as successful defense of the Asian Games title in 2026.

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Women Cricket: Harmanpreet Kaur ends decade-long captaincy stint

Kaur became India's T20I captain in 2016 and led for over a decade. Kaur was appointed captain in the ODIs and Tests in 2022, making her the central figure in India’s leadership group across formats. It's just a matter of weeks ago that India claimed the women's Asia Cup title. Kaur guided the team to a third successive gold after they outclassed Sri Lanka to win the title by 147 runs in the final.

Kaur's captaincy has further seen the team make an impact in ICC tournaments. In women's T20 World Cups, they made the semi-finals in 2018 and 2023, while finishing as runners-up in 2020. The biggest achievement of her tenure came in November 2025, when India defeated South Africa in the final to win their maiden Women’s Cricket World Cup title. The triumph was achieved on home soil and marked a major moment for Indian women’s cricket.

Women Cricket: Kaur leaves captaincy after landmark numbers

Kaur's captaincy record highlights: Really, she has captained for a long time. She has captained India in 5 Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is. She is by far the most capped international captain in the history of women's cricket with 155 appearances in T20Is. In fact, she is the first male or female cricketer to captain their team in over 150 T20Is.

The right-handed batter got her international debut in 2009, getting into the Indian side and making her first appearance in the disappearing ODI and T20I matches in that year. She was surely one of the most experienced players in the Indian dressing room, as she was part of the changing room for India, transforming into a better side over the years. Some Indian press has reported that this came after a meeting with Indian cricket administrator, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, for the future of the women's team.

Women Cricket: Smriti Mandhana in line to succeed Kaur

The focus of the next captaincy decision will now shift to Indian cricket. Smriti Mandhana has been identified as the front-runner to succeed Kaur. Mandhana has been Kaur's deputy since 2022 and has already led the Indian team when required. Her international-level experience makes her a natural choice when a new phase of the team begins.

Also Read: India Beat Pakistan By 19 Runs To Retain Asian Games Cricket Gold

Women Cricket: Captaincy ends, journey continues

Kaur announced her decision through an Instagram post, describing it as difficult after years of memories, sacrifices and experiences with the national team. She also said it is clear that her stepping down from captaincy will not affect her participation in the national team. "I think as a player I am still motivated, I still want to be playing for India, and I am more than happy to do that without the captaincy. That could give Kaur an opportunity to focus more closely on her batting and her role as one of the senior players in the squad. Her captaincy chapter has now ended, but her international career continues. For India, the next step will be finding the player who can carry forward the team’s recent progress without losing the foundation built during Kaur’s tenure.

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