Smriti Mandhana has been appointed captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, with the BCCI confirming the change on Tuesday after Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down across all formats. The 30-year-old opener, vice-captain since 2022, takes charge of the white-ball side as India move on from the player who led them to a first World Cup title.
The handover followed a review meeting in Guwahati on Monday. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia sat with Harmanpreet, women’s head coach Amol Muzumdar and Mandhana to set the roadmap. Harmanpreet posted her decision on social media. The board named Mandhana later the same day.
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announces the appointment of Smriti Mandhana as the captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team,” the BCCI said on its website.
“Smriti has been one of the leading figures in Indian women’s cricket over the years and has played a key role in the team’s progress across formats. An experienced international cricketer, she has also demonstrated her leadership qualities in domestic and franchise cricket, most recently leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the Women’s Premier League titles in 2024 and 2026.”
“Having been part of the Indian team since 2013, Smriti brings considerable experience into the role. She will now take on the responsibility of leading the side, with the team entering a new phase and continuing to build on the progress made in recent years,” the board added.
Smriti Mandhana will be the full-time white-ball captain. She has already led India in 18 T20Is and four ODIs, so the armband is not new. Her case rested on form, seniority, and two WPL titles with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Harmanpreet Kaur, 37, made the call public on Instagram. “Today, I step down as captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team across all formats,” she wrote. “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 captained India in five Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is. The peak was the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, India’s first global title, won at home. She also led the side to a second successive Asian Games gold last month in Nisshin, and she is staying on as a player. “Now, I’m ready to play for the love of the game again. Captaincy ends. The journey continues,” she said.
The timing comes after a strong white-ball run and a second successive group-stage exit from the T20 World Cup in June. Captaincy talk had been building for months. Harmanpreet chose to hand the job over rather than wait for a formal call.
(More to follow)
