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Harmanpreet Kaur Steps Down as Captain of India Women’s Cricket Team

By Drooid · · How we work

End of a Decade-Long Captaincy

Background and Rise to Leadership

Kaur debuted internationally in 2009 and first captained India in a T20 against Pakistan in 2012. She took full-time T20 leadership in 2016, added the ODI role after Mithali Raj’s retirement in 2022, and became all-format captain in 2023. Under her, India won the Women’s World Cup at home in November 2025 and defended the Asian Games gold in September 2026.

Al Jazeera (website)Harmanpreet Kaur Quits as India Women's Captain in All Formats, Two Weeks After Asian Games Gold Harmanpreet Kaur steps down as India women team captain across all formats Harmanpreet Kaur led India in 155 T20Is, and she has given up the captaincy in all three formats Harmanpreet Kaur Steps Down as India Women’s Captain Harmanpreet Kaur steps down as Team India's captain after 10 years Channel News Asia - CNAHarmanpreet Kaur: India's World Cup-winning captain steps down from role across all three formats of cricket

Career Milestones and Statistics

  • Tests: 5 matches as captain, including a win over England at Lord’s in July 2026.
Harmanpreet Kaur: India's World Cup-winning captain steps down from role across all three formats of cricket
  • T20Is: 155 matches, 92 wins – the first cricketer to captain over 150 T20 internationals.
Al Jazeera (website)
  • Trophies: 2025 World Cup, Asian Games golds (2022, 2026), two Asia Cup titles, Commonwealth Games silver (2022).
Harmanpreet Kaur Quits as India Women's Captain in All Formats, Two Weeks After Asian Games Gold

Official Statements & Responses

Kaur’s Instagram post spoke of “blood, sweat, time” and the difficulty of stepping down. A meeting in Guwahati chaired by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, with vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and head coach Amol Muzumdar, discussed the team’s roadmap. While a successor has not been named, Mandhana is the leading candidate.

Harmanpreet Kaur led India in 155 T20Is, and she has given up the captaincy in all three formats

Verbatim Quotes

  • “Captaincy may end today, but my love for Indian cricket never will.” — Harmanpreet Kaur
Harmanpreet Kaur: India's World Cup-winning captain steps down from role across all three formats of cricket
  • “This is not an easy decision.” — Harmanpreet Kaur
Harmanpreet Kaur steps down as Team India's captain after 10 years

Upcoming International Engagements

Timeline of Key Events

  • 2012: First captaincy stint (T20 vs. Pakistan).
Al Jazeera (website)