Indian women’s cricket has entered a new era. The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Tuesday confirmed Smriti Mandhana as the new captain of the national women’s team, ending Harmanpreet Kaur’s long and decorated tenure at the top.
The announcement, made on October 6, followed Harmanpreet’s decision to step down from the captaincy across all formats earlier the same day. It is one of the most significant leadership changes Indian cricket has seen in years, and it hands the team’s future to its most consistent batter of the modern era.
What the BCCI announced
In its release, the board said Mandhana, who has served as Harmanpreet’s deputy for several years, brings considerable experience and proven leadership credentials to the role. She has already captained India in 18 T20 internationals and four ODIs, and her domestic and franchise record speaks for itself.
Responding to the appointment, Mandhana called leading India a very special honour and said she was grateful to the board, the selectors and her teammates for the trust placed in her. She also paid tribute to Harmanpreet, acknowledging the commitment with which she had led the team over the years.
Harmanpreet’s legacy in the job
Harmanpreet Kaur’s captaincy will be remembered as the period in which India finally broke through on the biggest stage. The defining moment came in 2025, when she led India to their maiden Women’s 50-over World Cup title on home soil, a triumph that changed how the country saw women’s cricket.
Under her leadership, India also won the Asian Games gold medal in Aichi-Nagoya in 2026 and collected multiple Asia Cup titles. She remains available for selection as a player and has been named in the squads for the upcoming series against Zimbabwe.
Why the change happened now
Reports suggest the decision followed a BCCI review meeting in Guwahati that assessed the team’s recent performances, including India’s group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup in England earlier this year. It was India’s second successive early exit from the tournament, and the scrutiny around the leadership had been building.
Harmanpreet, who first took charge of the team in 2012 and became the full-time white-ball captain in 2016, chose to step aside while still an automatic pick as a player. The board moved quickly to name her successor the same day.
Why Mandhana is the natural choice
Few players in world cricket combine Mandhana’s playing record with her captaincy resume. A look at what she brings to the job:
- Representing India since 2013, she has played nine Tests, 120 ODIs and 179 T20 internationals.
- She became the first Indian woman to score international centuries in all three formats, with a T20I hundred against England in June 2025.
- She was India’s second-highest run-scorer at the triumphant 2025 World Cup, with 434 runs.
- As captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, she won two Women’s Premier League titles, in 2024 and 2026, across 35 matches in charge.
- She captained Maharashtra in the domestic circuit and has stood in as India’s captain 22 times across formats.
Her deputy setup is already decided. Shafali Verma will serve as vice-captain for the T20I series against Zimbabwe, while Deepti Sharma takes the role for the ODIs.
First assignment: Zimbabwe at home
Mandhana’s first series as full-time captain begins on October 16, with India hosting Zimbabwe in a six-match white-ball series, three T20Is followed by three ODIs, with the T20Is slated for Raipur. It is a friendly start on paper, but it will be watched closely for signs of the team’s new direction.
Beyond the results, the series marks the start of a new cycle. With a settled senior core and a generation of young talent coming through the WPL, Mandhana inherits a side with real depth. The test for her will be keeping India competitive in global tournaments while building the squad for the years ahead.
What comes next
Leadership transitions in Indian cricket are rarely smooth, but this one has been handled with unusual grace. Mandhana’s public tribute to Harmanpreet on social media set the tone, and Harmanpreet’s presence in the squad for the Zimbabwe series suggests continuity rather than a rupture.
For Mandhana, the job now is simple to state and hard to do: keep India winning at home, fix the T20 World Cup record, and shape a team that can defend the World Cup crown she helped win as a player. October 16 will tell us how she plans to start.
FAQs
When was Smriti Mandhana named India’s captain?
The BCCI announced her appointment on October 6, 2026, the same day Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down from the role across formats.
Why did Harmanpreet Kaur step down?
Harmanpreet relinquished the captaincy following a BCCI review of the team’s recent results, including India’s group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup in England. She remains available as a player.
Who are Mandhana’s vice-captains?
Shafali Verma has been named deputy for the T20I series against Zimbabwe, and Deepti Sharma will serve as vice-captain for the ODIs.
When is Mandhana’s first series as full-time captain?
India hosts Zimbabwe in three T20Is and three ODIs starting October 16, with the T20I leg scheduled in Raipur.
