Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down as India women’s captain across all three international formats, ending her leadership tenure after guiding the team to its first Women’s ODI World Cup title last year.
The 37-year-old announced her decision in an Instagram post, saying she was leaving the captaincy with the team in a “good place” and was ready to “play for the love of the game again.”
Harmanpreet led India in five Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is. Her final assignment as captain came last month when she guided India to their second consecutive Asian Games gold medal in Nisshin.
Her decision came a day after she, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and head coach Amol Muzumdar met BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia in Guwahati to discuss the future roadmap of the women’s team.
“This is not an easy decision,” Harmanpreet said in her statement, adding that she had given her “blood, sweat” and time to Indian women’s cricket and often put her own ambitions aside for the team.
She said she had faced criticism and difficult moments as captain but remained proud of the team’s progress.
“I leave the captaincy today with a heart full of emotions, but also with peace,” she said, adding that she believed the team had “talent, character, belief and a future.”
Harmanpreet first captained India in T20Is in 2012 before taking over as the full-time leader in 2018 following Mithali Raj’s departure from the role. She subsequently led India to the 2018 T20 World Cup semi-finals and the 2020 final in Australia.
Pressure for a leadership change had grown after India suffered a second successive group-stage exit from the T20 World Cup in June. Harmanpreet had previously indicated that she wanted to lead the team through the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Mandhana has emerged as a leading candidate to succeed her. She has captained Royal Challengers Bengaluru to two Women’s Premier League titles and has publicly expressed her readiness to take on a bigger leadership role.
Harmanpreet is expected to continue playing international cricket and leading Mumbai Indians in the upcoming WPL season as the franchise seeks a third title.
“Captaincy ends. The journey continues,” Harmanpreet said.
