Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down as the captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team across all three formats on October 6, 2026. The 37-year-old cricketer announced her decision through a statement on Instagram following a BCCI review meeting held in Guwahati. Her decision marks an important leadership change for Indian women’s cricket as the team prepares for its upcoming international assignments.

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Harmanpreet Kaur’s Captaincy Journey

Harmanpreet Kaur began her captaincy journey for India in a T20 match against Pakistan in Guangzhou in 2012. She later became the full-time T20I captain in 2016. After Mithali Raj retired from international cricket, Harmanpreet took charge of the ODI team in 2022.

In 2023, she became India’s all-format captain, leading the team in Tests, One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals. Over the years, Harmanpreet Kaur became one of the most recognised leaders in women’s international cricket and handled the team during several major tournaments and multi-sport events.

Strong Record Across Three Formats

During her captaincy, Harmanpreet Kaur led India in 211 international matches. Her leadership record includes 30 wins from 51 ODIs, 92 wins from 155 T20Is and four wins from five Tests.

Her time as captain also included several major achievements for Indian women’s cricket. India won its first-ever Women’s ODI World Cup title in November 2025 under her leadership. The team also secured a second consecutive Asian Games gold medal in women’s T20 cricket in 2026.

These results made her captaincy period an important part of the recent growth of Indian women’s cricket. The team continued to compete strongly across different formats while also gaining greater attention among cricket fans.

India’s ODI World Cup Success

One of the biggest achievements during Harmanpreet Kaur’s captaincy was India’s maiden Women’s ODI World Cup title in November 2025. The 50-over World Cup is the major international tournament for women’s ODI cricket and brings together leading teams from around the world.

India’s World Cup success was a major moment for the women’s team. It added another important achievement to Harmanpreet’s leadership record and strengthened India’s position in international women’s cricket.

Asian Games Gold Under Her Leadership

Harmanpreet Kaur’s captaincy also included India’s success in women’s cricket at the Asian Games. India won consecutive gold medals in women’s T20 cricket by 2026.

Cricket has become an important part of the Asian Games programme, with the T20 format providing another international platform for players. India’s success in the competition added to the team’s recent record under Harmanpreet’s leadership.

BCCI Review Meeting in Guwahati

The leadership change was discussed during a BCCI review meeting in Guwahati. The meeting included BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and head coach Amol Muzumdar.

Following the meeting, Harmanpreet Kaur announced her decision to step down from the captaincy through social media. She will no longer serve as India’s captain across Tests, ODIs and T20Is.

The decision comes at a time when Indian women’s cricket is entering another phase of leadership transition. The BCCI will now need to decide on the next full-time captain for the three formats.

Smriti Mandhana in Focus for New Leadership

Smriti Mandhana has emerged as a leading candidate for the next full-time captaincy role. She is already an important member of the Indian team and has experience in international cricket across formats.

However, the next full-time captain has not been formally announced. The BCCI is expected to take the final decision as it plans the team’s leadership structure for future international series and tournaments.

Harmanpreet Kaur’s International Career Continues

Stepping down as captain does not mean the end of Harmanpreet Kaur’s international career. She has been an important part of the Indian women’s team for many years and has represented India in all three formats.

Her experience will remain valuable to the team, particularly as younger players continue to establish themselves at the international level. The change in captaincy will allow the team to begin a new leadership phase while retaining the experience of senior players.

A New Phase for Indian Women’s Cricket

The departure of Harmanpreet Kaur as captain opens a new chapter for the Indian women’s team. During her leadership, India achieved major results in the ODI World Cup and Asian Games while competing regularly across all three international formats.

The BCCI’s next decision will focus on selecting the new full-time captain and shaping the leadership group around the upcoming international schedule. Until an official announcement is made, the identity of India’s next all-format women’s captain remains undecided.

Harmanpreet Kaur’s captaincy period will remain closely connected with some of the biggest recent achievements of Indian women’s cricket, while the team now moves towards a new leadership structure.