Harmanpreet Kaur has resigned from the post of captain of the Indian women’s cricket team in all formats, ending one of the most high-profile captaincy stints in Indian women’s cricket. The 37-year-old made it official on Oct. 6, stating she feels she has served her time and is ready to move forward with her career as a player.
The move followed a review meeting of the BCCI in Guwahati with Kaur, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, head coach Amol Muzumdar and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia. According to Cricbuzz, the group also discussed Kaur’s future as captain and the future of the coaching structure. Kaur will continue to play for India and has said that stepping down from captaincy does not signify retirement from international cricket.
- Harmanpreet Kaur has resigned as captain of India across all formats.
- She’s going to keep playing international cricket as a player.
- Her last job as captain was when India won the gold at the 2026 Asian Games.
- Kaur led India to their first-ever Women’s Cricket World Cup win in 2025.
- She captained India in 5 Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is
- BCCI had a review meeting in Guwahati just before her pronouncement.
- Smriti Mandhana is being reported as the probable choice to lead India next, but an official appointment was yet to be confirmed.
- India’s next big change could have a bearing on the build-up to the next ODI World Cup and Los Angeles Olympics 2028.
Harmanpreet Kaur Announces Her Decision
On Tuesday, Kaur posted a long social media statement announcing her resignation.
She termed the move not as a retirement but as a closure of one chapter of her cricket career. She stated she had given the team her time, effort, and personal sacrifices and had put the team’s interests before her own aspirations.
Kaur also sounded confident about the current Indian side, stating she feels the side has the potential, spirit, and belief to last for the future.
Most significantly, she affirmed she wants to continue playing the sport without the burden of captaincy.
Her message was clear:
The captaincy has ended, but her playing career continues.
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BCCI Review Meeting Came Before Her Resignation
Much attention has been paid to the timing of the announcement.
BCCI holds Indian women’s team evaluation meeting in Guwahati on Monday, October 5. The meeting was attended by Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and head coach Amol Muzumdar and was headed by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.
Topics covered included Kaur’s captaincy future and coach Amol Muzumdar’s future, Cricbuzz said.
The discussion followed India’s poor performance at the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup, where the squad failed to reach the knockout round. But India made a fine recovery, winning the Women’s Asia Cup and then the Asian Games gold medal.
Thus, Kaur’s resignation comes at an interesting juncture. India had just returned to winning ways, but the BCCI was also looking ahead to the team’s next major cycle.
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Harmanpreet’s Captaincy Record at a Glance
| Category | Harmanpreet Kaur’s Record |
|---|---|
| Captaincy across formats | All three formats |
| Tests as captain | 5 |
| ODIs as captain | 51 |
| T20Is as captain | 155 |
| First became T20I captain | 2016 |
| Took full-time ODI and Test captaincy | 2022 |
| Major achievement | 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup |
| Asian Games achievement | Gold in 2023 and 2026 |
| Status now | Continues as a player |
Kaur became India’s T20I captain in 2016 and was appointed full-time ODI and Test skipper following the retirement of Mithali Raj in 2022, the ICC said.
World Cup Triumph Will Define Her Legacy
For many Indian cricket fans, the biggest contribution of Harmanpreet Kaur’s captaincy would be India’s historic win at the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup.
India won the Women’s World Cup for the first time, defeating South Africa in the final on home soil. Kaur thereafter became the first Indian woman to lead the side to a senior ICC World Cup title.
The accomplishment also made her part of an elite club of Indian World Cup-winning captains.
According to the ICC, Kaur is the third Indian captain after Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni to win a 50-over World Cup.
That achievement makes for a very strong close to her captaincy. She is quitting the leadership role after delivering the biggest prize in the history of Indian women’s ODI cricket.
From T20 Leadership to a New Era
Kaur’s leadership path started long before the 2025 World Cup.
She took over as the captain of India’s T20I team in 2016 and went on to become a full-time skipper across formats after Mithali Raj’s retirement from international cricket.
Her reign saw a number of key milestones for Indian women’s cricket with appearances in major worldwide finals and semi-finals, a Commonwealth Games victory and big wins in Asia.
She also became the first cricketer, male or female, to lead a side in over 150 T20Is. Her 155 T20I games as captain show how long she has been crucial to India’s leadership hierarchy.
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Why the T20 World Cup Result Mattered
The decision cannot be seen in isolation of India’s 2026 T20 World Cup bid.
India joined the tournament on the back of their historic ODI World Cup triumph. But in England, the team didn’t make it past the group stage.
Calls for Kaur’s resignation emerged after that campaign, Cricbuzz said. Wins at the Women’s Asia Cup and Asian Games followed, improving the team’s results but not ultimately preventing a change in leadership.
That makes Kaur’s departure less about any one result in isolation and more about the BCCI’s overall perspective on the next phase for the women’s squad.
Smriti Mandhana Emerges as the Likely Successor
The main question now is who will take over from Kaur.
Smriti Mandhana seems to be the frontrunner. She has been the long-time deputy of Kaur and was part of the BCCI review meeting in Guwahati.
Cricbuzz said the BCCI has plans to develop the next team around Mandhana in view of the next World Cup cycle and Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. But the article also said selectors were likely to make an official announcement of the new skipper.
So, for now, Mandhana can be called the probable or announced successor, and not officially name her as India’s new captain until the BCCI makes the selection.
What Happens to India’s Women’s Team Now?
This transition comes at a critical point for Indian women’s cricket.
The team recently showed that it can rebound from setbacks. After the heartbreak of the T20 World Cup, India went on to win the Women’s Asia Cup title and another Asian Games gold.
The next issue will be to keep that momentum going and build a new leadership structure.
If appointed, Mandhana would lead a team with established stars and a host of young players who have profited from the rise of domestic women’s cricket and the Women’s Premier League.
Meanwhile, the shift could provide Kaur an opportunity to focus more on her batting and playing role.
Kaur’s influence will be part of the team identity as Indian women’s cricket embarks on a new era.
Also read: India’s Biggest T20I Defeat Ever: Bowled Out for 76, Lose by 125 Runs to England
India’s Next Assignment: Zimbabwe Series
It’s a changeover that’s supposed to be a swift one.
India will host Zimbabwe for a six-match white-ball series including three T20Is and three ODIs. The T20Is are slated to be played in Raipur on October 16, 18 and 20, while the ODIs are scheduled to be played in Vadodara on October 23, 26 and 28.
The ODI leg will also be part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2025-29.
The series could be the first big test of India’s new leadership set-up.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s Next Chapter
Kaur has said that standing down as captain is not the end of the road for her.
Her own statements indicate that she wants to regain the freedom of playing cricket, without the added obligation of leading the side.
That might be crucial for India as well. Kaur’s removal from the captaincy’s burden will let her to focus more intensely on her job as a seasoned middle-order batter and a senior figure in the dressing room.
The Indian women’s cricket team is forging a new path but Kaur’s legacy will continue to be ingrained in the squad’s DNA.
Having delivered what generations of Indian women cricketers had coveted, a World Cup title, she quits captaincy.
FAQs
1. Why did Harmanpreet Kaur step down as India’s captain?
Ans: Harmanpreet Kaur quit the captaincy in all formats after a BCCI review meeting in Guwahati. Her future as captain was reported to have been discussed at the meeting. “I felt that my responsibility was done and I was ready to move on with my journey as a player,” Kaur added.
2. Is Harmanpreet Kaur retiring from international cricket?
Ans: No, Kaur has not announced her retirement. She has declared that she will continue to play for India after handing up the leadership.
3. Who is likely to become India’s next women’s cricket captain?
Ans: Smriti Mandhana is the top candidate to take over from Harmanpreet Kaur, say speculations. The reports available as of October 6, 2026, did not mention the formal appointment, however.
4. How long was Harmanpreet Kaur India’s captain?
Ans: Kaur took over as India’s T20I side’s captain in 2016 and was appointed the full-time ODI and Test skipper in 2022. She captained India in 5 Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is.
5. What was Harmanpreet Kaur’s biggest achievement as captain?
Ans: Her crowning triumph came when she led India to their first-ever Women’s Cricket World Cup title in 2025. India beat South Africa in the final on home ground.
6. When is India’s next women’s cricket series?
Ans: India are slated to host Zimbabwe during three T20Is and three ODIs starting from October 16, 2026. The T20Is are slotted in Raipur, while the ODIs will be in Vadodara.
Sources & References
- International Cricket Council (ICC) – Harmanpreet Kaur steps down as India captain
- Cricbuzz – Harmanpreet steps down after BCCI review meeting
- The Indian Express – Harmanpreet Kaur steps down as India women’s captain in all formats
- Hindustan Times – Harmanpreet Kaur steps down as India women’s team captain across formats
