End of an Era: World Cup-Winning Captain Harmanpreet Kaur Steps Down as India Skipper

Guwahati: In a major development for Indian cricket, long-serving Indian women's cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down from the captaincy across all three formats of the game. However, the legendary batter confirmed that she will continue playing for the national side as an active player.

The decision comes hot on the heels of Harmanpreet leading the Women in Blue to their second successive Asian Games gold medal. The official announcement was made following a comprehensive BCCI review meeting held in Guwahati, chaired by secretary Devajit Saikia, alongside head coach Amol Muzumdar and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana.

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"Captaincy Ends, The Journey Continues"

Taking to social media, Harmanpreet shared an emotional statement addressing her departure from leadership after a decade at the helm of the T20I side.

"Today, I step down as captain of the Indian Women's Cricket Team across all formats. This is not an easy decision. It carries years of memories, emotions, sacrifices, and moments that will stay with me for the rest of my life," she wrote.

"Now, I'm ready to play for the love of the game again. Captaincy ends. The journey continues."

Reflecting on the challenges and victories throughout her tenure, she noted:

"I have seen the lowest moments, the heartbreak, the criticism, the doubts and the days when nothing seemed to go our way. And I have also experienced the highest highs. I leave the captaincy today with a heart full of emotions, but also with peace, because I genuinely believe my team is in a good place."

A Golden Legacy: Harmanpreet's Unmatched Achievements

Harmanpreet leaves behind one of the most distinguished captaincy resumes in international cricket history:

• Historic World Cup Triumph: In November 2025, she achieved what no prior Indian women's captain could—leading the team to their maiden ODI World Cup title on home soil, ending heartbreaks from 2005 and 2017.

• Elite Company: She joined Kapil Dev (1983) and MS Dhoni (2011) as only the third Indian captain across men's and women's cricket to lift an ODI World Cup trophy.

• ICC & Continental Success: Under her guidance, India reached the T20 World Cup final in 2020, semifinals in 2018 and 2023, bagged the Asia Cup crown in Dubai, and claimed two consecutive Asian Games gold medals.

Harmanpreet first took over India's T20 captaincy in 2016, stepped into the ODI captain's shoes in 2022, and became the all-format leader in 2023. While her reign at the top concludes, Indian cricket fans will look forward to seeing her continue dominating with the bat unburdened by leadership duties.