Harmanpreet Kaur Ends Captaincy Era, Says ‘The Journey Continues’

Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down as captain of the Indian women’s cricket team across all three formats, bringing an end to a decade-long leadership journey. The 37-year-old announced her decision through an emotional Instagram post on Tuesday, with the change taking effect immediately.

Harmanpreet’s decision comes shortly after she led India to gold at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. India defeated Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final on September 22 to win their second consecutive Asian Games gold in women’s cricket, following their triumph in Hangzhou in 2022.

The announcement also follows a BCCI review meeting in Guwahati involving Harmanpreet, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, head coach Amol Muzumdar and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana. The meeting reportedly focused on the team’s recent performances and its future direction. The BCCI has not yet officially named Harmanpreet’s successor, although Smriti Mandhana is being viewed as a leading contender.

Harmanpreet began leading India in T20Is in 2016 and became the full-time ODI and Test captain in 2022, following Mithali Raj’s retirement. Across her captaincy career, she led India in five Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is, covering 211 international matches as captain.

Her greatest achievement came in 2025, when she became the first Indian captain to lead the women’s team to an ODI World Cup title. India defeated South Africa in the final on home soil to secure their maiden senior women’s World Cup trophy. She also guided India to two Asian Games gold medals and played a major role in the team’s rise during her leadership tenure.

In her statement, Harmanpreet said stepping down was not an easy decision and reflected years of memories, sacrifices and emotional moments. She said she had sometimes put aside her own performance, personal growth and ambitions because she believed the team had to come first.

Harmanpreet also stressed that she is not retiring from international cricket. She said she believes the team is in a strong position with talent, character and a promising future and that she is ready to continue contributing as a player.

Earlier this year, Harmanpreet also became the most-capped women’s international cricketer, surpassing New Zealand’s Suzie Bates.

“Captaincy ends. The journey continues,” Harmanpreet said, signalling the beginning of a new chapter in her India career.