New Delhi: India women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur announced her decision on Tuesday to resign from leadership across all formats, bringing an end to a defining decade-long tenure at the helm of the national side. In an emotional statement shared on social media, the 37-year-old veteran confirmed she will continue playing as an active batter, stating that she steps aside with a “heart full of emotions, but also with peace” knowing the squad is in a strong and self-sustaining position.
The announcement followed a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) review meeting held in Guwahati with BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, head coach Amol Muzumdar, and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana. First handed the permanent T20I captaincy in 2016 before taking over the one-day and Test mantles in 2022 and 2023, Kaur concluded her leadership having overseen 211 international fixtures. Under her captaincy, India secured 92 T20I victories—the highest for an Indian skipper—and 30 ODI wins, alongside historic milestones including India’s maiden ODI World Cup title and consecutive Asian Games gold medals.
Reflecting on her tenure, Kaur highlighted the personal sacrifices made to prioritise squad development, explaining that she frequently subordinated personal performance and individual ambitions to build team resilience. The transition clears the pathway for leadership succession—with vice-captain Smriti Mandhana widely anticipated to step into the role—while allowing Kaur to focus entirely on her batting in the next phase of her international career.
