Harmanpreet Kaur on Tuesday stepped down as captain of the Indian women’s cricket team across all three formats, ending her long tenure as the national side’s leader.The 37-year-old announced her decision in a statement posted on social media, describing it as a difficult call shaped by years of memories, responsibility and sacrifice. She will, however, remain available to represent India as a player.Harmanpreet said she was leaving the captaincy with a sense of fulfillment after giving her best to Indian women’s cricket.“I feel I have done my duty,” she said in her statement, adding that she was now ready to return to playing without the responsibility of leading the side.Announcement After Asian Games Gold.Her decision comes shortly after India secured a second consecutive gold medal in women’s cricket at the 2026 Asian Games. It also follows a period in which Harmanpreet oversaw some of the most significant achievements in the history of Indian women’s cricket.The biggest milestone of her captaincy came in 2025, when she led India to their maiden Women’s ODI World Cup title. The triumph made Harmanpreet the first Indian woman to captain the senior side to an ICC World Cup title.Harmanpreet first took charge of India’s T20I side in 2016. She became the full-time ODI captain in 2022 after Mithali Raj’s retirement and subsequently took on the leadership role across formats.Reflecting on her tenure, Harmanpreet acknowledged that captaincy had required her to make difficult decisions, sometimes at the expense of her own individual ambitions. She said her priority throughout had been to build the team and provide opportunities for other players to develop.Her announcement came a day after a BCCI review meeting in Guwahati involving board secretary Devajit Saikia, head coach Amol Muzumdar, Harmanpreet and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana. The meeting focused on assessing the team’s recent performances and its future direction.Successor Yet To Be Announced.The BCCI has yet to formally announce Harmanpreet’s successor as India captain. Mandhana is among the names being discussed as a possible replacement, but no official appointment has been confirmed.For Harmanpreet, the end of her captaincy does not mean the end of her international career. She made that distinction clear in her statement, signalling that she intends to continue contributing to the Indian team on the field.
From World Cup glory to a new chapter: Harmanpreet Kaur steps down as India Women’s Captain
