Guwahati, Oct 6: Harmanpreet Kaur on Tuesday announced her decision to step down as the captain of the Indian women’s cricket team across all three formats, concluding a decade-long leadership tenure. The announcement followed a high-level review meeting in Guwahati convened by the Board of Control for Cricket in India to evaluate the national team’s recent performances.
BCCI Secretary Devjit Saikia chaired the proceedings, which were attended by Kaur alongside head coach Amol Muzumdar and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana. Following the deliberations, the 37-year-old veteran declared that she will remain available for selection as a player, continuing her international career focused purely on her game.
“Today I am stepping down as captain of the Indian women’s cricket team in all formats,” stated Kaur on social media. She affirmed that while the decision was emotionally significant, she felt the squad was well-positioned for the future. “Now I am ready to play again for the love of the game. The captaincy ends, but the journey continues,” she maintained.
The outgoing captain leaves behind a decorated leadership record, having guided India to its maiden ODI World Cup title last November and securing back-to-back Asian Games gold medals in the T20 format.
She asserted that she leaves the role with complete peace of mind, confident in the strength and direction of the current setup.
Kaur first assumed the T20I captaincy in 2016 before taking charge of the ODI side in 2022 and assuming all-format leadership in 2023. A landmark figure in world cricket, she holds records as the first Indian woman to score a T20I century and the first cricketer globally to complete 200 T20 international appearances, having also set the record for most international matches played in women’s cricket.
