Harmanpreet Kaur Steps Down as India Women's Cricket Captain After Historic Run

The end of a decade in charge

Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down as captain of the Indian women's cricket team across all three formats, announcing the decision herself on Instagram. "Today, I step down as captain of the Indian Women's Cricket Team across all formats," she wrote. "This is not an easy decision. It carries years of memories, emotions, sacrifices, and moments that will stay with me for the rest of my life."

Harmanpreet, 37, first took the T20I captaincy in 2016 and added the ODI and Test leadership in 2022, building one of the longest and most successful captaincy tenures in the women's game. She made her international debut for India back in 2009.

A legacy defined by a maiden world title

The high point of her captaincy came in November 2025, when she led India to their first-ever ICC Women's World Cup title on home soil, a breakthrough moment for Indian women's cricket. She followed that up this past September with further silverware, successfully defending India's Asian Games title with a dominant win over Sri Lanka and also leading the team to the Women's Asia Cup.

Her numbers in the role are striking on their own: 5 Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20 internationals as captain, making her the first cricketer of either gender to lead a side in more than 150 T20I matches.

A graceful exit

Harmanpreet struck a reflective tone in her announcement. "I leave the captaincy today with a heart full of emotions, but also with peace, because I genuinely believe my team is in a good place," she said. "Captaincy may end today, but my love for Indian cricket never will."

The decision reportedly came a day after she met with BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia to discuss the future direction of the women's team. Deputy captain Smriti Mandhana is widely considered the favorite to take over the role, inheriting a team that enters the next phase of its history on the back of its most successful period ever.