'It's been a pleasure' - Smriti Mandhana posts heartfelt tribute to Harmanpreet Kaur after becoming India captain
The newly appointed all-format captain praised her predecessor's decade-long leadership in an emotional message.
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Smriti Mandhana has been appointed all-format captain of the Indian women's cricket team, ending Harmanpreet Kaur's decade-long tenure as a central figure in the team's leadership structure. The BCCI announced the decision on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. Mandhana's elevation marks a significant transition in Indian women's cricket at a time when the team continues to build on recent achievements.
Mandhana's appointment comes after Harmanpreet stepped down from the captaincy role. The new captain has prior experience leading India across formats, having captained the team in 18 T20 Internationals and four One-Day Internationals. Her credentials were further strengthened through her leadership of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, which won two Women's Premier League titles under her captaincy.
"It's been a pleasure playing with you for so many years. Ten years of your leadership have been fantastic and together we will strive to bring many more laurels for our nation," Mandhana wrote on Instagram.
Mandhana's message of respect and continuity
Harmanpreet's captaincy tenure was marked by major achievements for Indian women's cricket. She led India to victory in the 2025 Women's Cricket World Cup and guided the team to gold medals at the 2022 Asian Games, securing a second successive Asian Games title. Under her leadership, India also won the Women's Asia Cup in 2012, 2016 and 2022, adding to the team's tournament legacy across multiple formats.
Harmanpreet's path to leadership
Harmanpreet first took charge of the Indian team in 2012 as an emergency appointment before establishing herself as the regular T20 International skipper from 2016 onwards. She assumed the role of ODI and Test captain in 2022 following Mithali Raj's retirement, consolidating her position as the team's primary leader across all formats during a transformative period for Indian women's cricket.
Harmanpreet, Mandhana rift over captaincy revealed
The transition has been accompanied by reports suggesting differences between the two senior players. However, Harmanpreet has made clear that stepping down from the captaincy does not signal her departure from international cricket. The 37-year-old has indicated her intention to remain available for selection and provide support to the new leadership structure moving forward.
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