Smriti Mandhana named India women's captain after Harmanpreet Kaur steps down
Synopsis
A decade of Harmanpreet Kaur's captaincy ends after India's second successive T20 World Cup group-stage exit — and Smriti Mandhana, fresh off two WPL titles and an Asian Games gold-medal innings, steps up as the new captain. The Zimbabwe series on 16 October marks the start of a new era for Indian women's cricket.
Key Takeaways
Smriti Mandhana was named India women's cricket captain by the BCCI on Tuesday, 6 October 2026 .
Harmanpreet Kaur resigned following India's second consecutive group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup in England.
The BCCI reviewed the situation at a meeting in Guwahati on Monday before the transition was confirmed.
Harmanpreet captained India in 5 Tests , 51 ODIs , and 155 T20Is , including the maiden ODI World Cup title win.
Mandhana's first assignment as captain is India's white-ball series against Zimbabwe from 16 October .
Jemimah Rodrigues is currently recovering from a high-grade hamstring tear sustained during The Hundred in England.
Newly appointed India women's cricket team captain Smriti Mandhana and middle-order batter Jemimah Rodrigues on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, paid warm tributes to outgoing skipper Harmanpreet Kaur after she resigned from the captaincy across all formats. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) formalised Mandhana's appointment on Tuesday, with her leadership beginning in the white-ball series against Zimbabwe starting 16 October.
Why Harmanpreet stepped down
Harmanpreet's captaincy future came under scrutiny at a BCCI review meeting held in Guwahati on Monday, following India's second consecutive group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup in England in June. The back-to-back early exits proved decisive, prompting the board to initiate the leadership transition. Harmanpreet subsequently tendered her resignation from the role.
A decade of Harmanpreet's leadership
Harmanpreet's captaincy tenure spanned five Tests, 51 ODIs, and 155 T20Is — a record of service that few Indian cricket captains, men or women, can match in sheer volume. Her defining moment as leader came when she guided India to its maiden women's global championship title at last year's ODI World Cup. She also signed off on an emphatic note by leading India to a gold medal at the Asian Games in Japan.
Tributes from teammates
In an Instagram story, Mandhana wrote: 'It has 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.'
Rodrigues, who is currently recovering from a high-grade hamstring tear sustained while playing The Hundred in England, also posted on Instagram: 'Congratulations on everything you've achieved. Thanks for the years of leadership and for everything you did for the team!'
Smriti Mandhana: the new captain's credentials
Mandhana has represented India in nine Tests, 120 ODIs, and 179 T20Is since her debut in 2013, establishing herself as the backbone of the batting line-up alongside Harmanpreet. She hit a stellar 79 off 45 balls in the Asian Games final against Sri Lanka in Nisshin, Japan, a knock that underlined her big-match temperament. Her captaincy credentials are further reinforced by leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to back-to-back Women's Premier League (WPL) titles in 2024 and 2026.
What comes next
With the Zimbabwe series on 16 October as her first assignment, Mandhana inherits a squad in transition. The immediate challenge will be rebuilding T20 World Cup confidence while consolidating India's ODI World Cup-winning momentum. How she stamps her own authority on the dressing room — and whether she can arrest India's T20 tournament exits — will define the early phase of her captaincy.
Point of View
Which raises a legitimate question about whether the review process moves fast enough. Mandhana is an inspired choice on paper — proven under WPL pressure, technically sound, a senior figure the dressing room respects — but leadership in international cricket is a different animal from franchise cricket. The real test will come when results are difficult and she must manage the pressure that ultimately consumed her predecessor.
NationPress
7 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Harmanpreet Kaur step down as India women's cricket captain?
Harmanpreet Kaur resigned following India's second consecutive group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup in England in June 2026. The BCCI conducted a review meeting in Guwahati on Monday, after which the leadership change was confirmed.
Who is the new captain of the India women's cricket team?
Smriti Mandhana has been appointed the new captain of the India women's cricket team by the BCCI. She will lead the side for the first time in a white-ball series against Zimbabwe starting 16 October 2026.
What are Smriti Mandhana's captaincy credentials?
Mandhana has led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to back-to-back Women's Premier League titles in 2024 and 2026. She has also been a key performer for India across 9 Tests, 120 ODIs, and 179 T20Is since her 2013 debut, and scored a match-defining 79 off 45 balls in the Asian Games final against Sri Lanka.
What was Harmanpreet Kaur's record as India women's captain?
Harmanpreet captained India in 5 Tests, 51 ODIs, and 155 T20Is. Her highlights include guiding India to its first ODI World Cup title and a gold medal at the Asian Games in Japan.
Is Jemimah Rodrigues available for the Zimbabwe series?
Jemimah Rodrigues is currently recovering from a high-grade hamstring tear sustained while playing The Hundred in England, and her availability for the Zimbabwe series beginning 16 October is uncertain.
