Harmanpreet Kaur steps down as India women's captain in all three formats

Harmanpreet Kaur abruptly resigned on Tuesday as captain of the Indian women's cricket team in all three formats. She announced the decision just a day after a review meeting on the women's team held in Guwahati by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Head coach Amol Muzumdar and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana attended the meeting. With Harmanpreet stepping aside, there is a strong possibility that Mandhana will be named the new captain.

Under Harmanpreet, the Indian women's team had several memorable moments on the international stage. Under her leadership, the team won the Asian Games and the Asia Cup. In 2025, she led India to its first world title, in the ODI World Cup played at home. The team lost at the T20 World Cup, but her contribution has remained significant.

Harmanpreet, 37, made it clear while giving up the captaincy that she will continue to play in the team as a player. She said she had given the team, with full dedication, the best she could as captain.

Harmanpreet led the Indian T20 team for about 10 years. She was given charge of the T20 side in 2016. She was made ODI captain in 2022, and from 2023 she became India's main captain in all three formats.

She wrote on Instagram: "Today I am stepping down as captain of the Indian women's cricket team in all formats. This decision is not easy at all. It holds many years of memories, emotions, sacrifices and moments that will stay with me for life."

Harmanpreet went on to write: "Now I am ready to play once again for my love of the game. The journey of captaincy ends here, but the journey of the game will continue. I have mixed emotions, but also a sense of contentment. Because I am fully confident that my team is in the right hands and in a good position."

Having won the 50-over World Cup, Harmanpreet Kaur is only the third Indian captain to do so after Kapil Dev and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. She has also joined the list of five Indian captains who have won a World Cup trophy of any kind. In men's cricket, Rohit Sharma led India to the T20 World Cup title in 2024 and Suryakumar Yadav in 2026.

In women's cricket, Shafali Verma scored her first T20 international century and eased India's entry into the final of the Asian Games 2026. She became joint second among Indian women for the fastest century for India, equalling Harmanpreet Kaur's record.