Harmanpreet Kaur steps down as India women's captain in all three formats after 14 years

Harmanpreet Kaur has resigned as captain of the Indian women's cricket team in all three formats, ending her 14-year journey as skipper. Over this period she took charge of the team at different points and led India in several major tournaments.

After giving up the captaincy, she posted an emotional message on social media. It said the era of Harmanpreet as captain was over, but her journey as a player would continue.

Harmanpreet is the captain of the Indian women's cricket team and an outstanding all-rounder. She was born on March 8, 1989, in Punjab's Moga district. Her father, Harmander Singh Bhullar, was himself a sportsman and taught her the first lessons in cricket. Her mother, Satwinder Kaur, is a homemaker. Harmanpreet had a great passion for cricket from childhood, and her father became her first coach.

She completed her schooling in Moga. She then joined the Gyan Jyoti School Academy to begin cricket training, where she was guided by coach Kamaldish Singh Sodhi. In 2014 she moved to Mumbai and also began a job with Indian Railways.

Harmanpreet completed her graduation through distance education at Chaudhary Charan Singh University between 2009 and 2011. Before that she was studying at a college in Jalandhar, but had to change colleges because cricket tournaments clashed with examination dates. Her subjects included sociology, political science, English and general knowledge.

In 2018, questions were raised about her degree, and there was also a controversy over her removal from the post of DSP. In her defence, Harmanpreet said all her degrees were legal and valid.

On her international career, Harmanpreet made her debut in March 2009 in an ODI against Pakistan. In June 2009 she debuted in T20 internationals against England. She is now counted among the most successful captains in women's cricket, and India won the World Cup trophy for the first time under her captaincy.

She also brought the Indian team major success at the Asian Games. Under her leadership India won the Asiad gold medal twice in a row. Last month, the Indian team won Asiad gold for the second time in Aichi-Nagoya. This was Harmanpreet's last big success as captain.