For Harmanpreet Kaur, captaincy ends but the journey continues

Harmanpreet Kaur’s decision to step down as captain of the Indian team across all formats comes at an appropriate time, especially after a year marked by several high points for women’s cricket in the country. The heartening aspect of her announcement, made in an emotional and lengthy social media post on Tuesday, is that the feisty batter will continue to represent India as a player for some more time.

‘’Now, I’m ready to play for the love of the game again. Captaincy ends. The journey continues,’’ the 37-year-old said at the end of the message. There is no gainsaying that India can still do with her reassuring presence with the bat – especially in the ODIs and Tests which are few and far between – and letting the mantle of captaincy pass on to the natural choice may actually help her rediscover her mojo as the batter.

‘’Today, I step down as captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team across all formats,’’ Harmanpreet’s statement started. ‘’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.’’

It has been a rollercoaster ride during her 10 years as captain, beginning in 2016 when Harmanpreet took charge of the T20I team and later became the full-time ODI and Test captain in 2022 following Mithali Raj’s retirement from international cricket. If the high point of her tenure was lifting the ODI World Cup trophy in Navi Mumbai last year, emulating the likes of greats Kapil Dev and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the heartbreaks were no less—particularly in the shortest format.

The 2020 World T20 final in Melbourne would certainly rank among the biggest heartbreaks, when India were comprehensively beaten by Australia. The two semi-final defeats, in the 2018 and 2023 editions, hurt no less. In the last edition of the World T20, held in England in June-July, Harmanpreet and Co. exited in the group stage, prompting calls for a change at the top. Smriti, in the pink of form with the bat and having served as deputy for several years, sent out a strong signal that she was “ready” for the hot seat.

‘’I have done my duty,’’ said Harmanpreet as the current side now has a captain-in-waiting, a squad with an experienced core and a number of exciting youngsters. The disappointment of the last World T20 notwithstanding, there were a number of high points under her like a maiden Test win at the Lord’s, the T20 Asian Cup and winning back-to-back gold medals in the just concluded Asian Games.

Harry di to her teammates, she captained India in five Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is, with her final assignment as skipper ending in a second gold medal in Aichi Nagoya last week. She is one of just five Indian captains to have lifted a World Cup - joining Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, who led India to T20 World Cup triumphs in 2024 and 2026, respectively.