Guwahati, Oct 6: Indian women’s cricket team leader Harmanpreet Kaur has formally relinquished the captaincy in T20, ODI, and Test formats following an administrative assessment by the board in Guwahati. The decision marks the conclusion of her leadership role, which began with the T20I team in 2016 and expanded to all formats by 2023.
The leadership transition was discussed during a review meeting led by BCCI Secretary Devjit Saikia, with head coach Amol Muzumdar and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana present. Kaur affirmed that she will continue representing the country as a specialist batter, keeping her playing career active.
“This is not an easy decision. It involves years of memories, emotions, sacrifices and moments that will stay with me for the rest of my life,” declared Kaur in an official statement. She maintained that she was stepping down with a heavy heart but complete clarity regarding the team’s ongoing trajectory.
Cricket analysts noted that Kaur’s captaincy produced historic achievements, including India’s first-ever ODI World Cup victory late last year and consecutive Asian Games gold medals in the shortest format.
“Because I sincerely believe that my team is in a good position right now,” asserted the Arjuna Award winner, who maintained that she looks forward to contributing purely as a team member.
Throughout her tenure, Kaur established multiple world records, becoming the most capped player in women’s international cricket with 356 matches and the first to lead in 150 T20 Internationals. She will remain an integral part of the national squad moving forward.
