She made India fall in love with women's cricket - now her era as captain is over

She made India fall in love with women’s cricket — now her captaincy era is over

Harmanpreet Kaur is stepping down as captain of the India women’s cricket team.

When Harmanpreet Kaur struck that unforgettable World Cup century against Australia in the 2017 semi-final, she did more than alter the outcome of a match; she changed the direction of women’s cricket in India.

India still lost that year’s final to England, but women’s cricket was no longer just a fleeting interest for the average Indian fan.

The relentless determination to win that she brought into the side helped India claim their first women’s World Cup trophy — the same achievement that had eluded them in 2017 — in emphatic style eight years later.

Less than a year later, and only weeks after triumphs in the Asia Cup and the Asian Games, she has given up the captaincy, bringing to a close an era in which she became the team’s most influential leader and one of the sport’s most recognisable faces.

Star opener Smriti Mandhana, her long-time deputy, has been named captain across all formats.

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia, coach Amol Muzumdar, Harmanpreet and Mandhana were present at the review meeting where the leadership change was approved. The handover, however, was not entirely smooth.

Reports indicate that the 37-year-old Harmanpreet was prepared to give up the T20 captaincy at once, but wanted to keep leading the side in One-Day Internationals and Tests so younger players could learn from her experience.

The BCCI, though, wanted a younger leader and chose the 30-year-old Mandhana.

In some respects, the decision resembles the BCCI’s move to replace Suryakumar Yadav as captain of the men’s T20 side shortly after India won the World Cup earlier this year, with Shreyas Iyer taking over the role.

Harmanpreet’s future as captain had become a major topic of discussion in cricket circles after India’s underwhelming showing at the T20 World Cup in England a few months ago.

Her own struggles with the bat intensified the concerns and led the BCCI to weigh changes that might help the team cope with the growing demands of a women’s game expanding rapidly around the world.

As she neared her 38th birthday and approached nearly a decade in charge, Harmanpreet faced increasing scrutiny as her form declined.

Views on whether she should remain captain were sharply split among former women players and captains.

Former cricketer Diana Edulji, one of the game’s most respected figures, believed Harmanpreet had done all that could reasonably be expected of her and that it was time for a younger captain to take over. Former captain Anjum Chopra, meanwhile, said Harmanpreet’s experience was still invaluable and that she should continue.

Realising the BCCI was strongly leaning toward change, Harmanpreet chose to step down during the review meeting. She later shared her decision in an emotional Instagram post.

“I feel I have done my duty. I gave this team everything I had,” she wrote.

“Now, it is time for me to turn the page… Blood. Sweat. Sacrifice. Pride. I gave it all. Now, I’m ready to play for the love of the game again.

“Captaincy ends, the journey continues.”

Harmanpreet’s wish to keep playing now leaves the BCCI with another decision to make about her future.

In Suryakumar Yadav’s case, he lost not only the captaincy but also his place in India’s T20 side. With the depth of talent available in the men’s game, Ajit Agarkar and his fellow selectors found it easier to make what was always likely to be a contentious call.

The women’s game is different. Even with Harmanpreet’s modest recent form, replacing a player of her stature and experience may not be simple, because the talent pipeline is not yet as deep as it is in men’s cricket.

Whatever happens next, Harmanpreet has produced one of the most memorable careers in women’s cricket. Stretching across more than two decades, it is a journey defined by major achievements and milestones.

Born into a family of modest means in Punjab’s Moga city, Harmanpreet developed a love for cricket at an early age.

Her family’s backing was crucial in the early years, but her rise to national prominence came after she joined the Railways — a move facilitated by Diana Edulji — and relocated to Mumbai.

The better facilities and greater professionalism of Mumbai’s sporting environment helped speed up her progress.

She made her India debut in 2009 at the age of 20 and has been an essential part of the national team across formats ever since.

An all-rounder for much of her first decade in cricket, she became indispensable through her explosive middle-order batting, clever off-spin and sharp fielding.

Her blazing century against Australia in the semi-final of the 2017 Women’s ODI World Cup remains one of the defining innings in women’s cricket history. India went on to lose the final to England, but defeating Australia was a huge barrier overcome.

That century also helped ignite broader interest in women’s cricket in India and turned Harmanpreet into a household name.

The second decade of her career highlighted her ability both as a batter and as a captain. After succeeding Mithali Raj as T20 captain in 2016, Harmanpreet took charge across all formats in 2022 and went on to lead India to some of the greatest successes in its history.

Her captaincy was defined by an aggressive drive for victory. That fearless mindset gave her teammates confidence and ambition, helping the side overcome even the previously unbeatable Australians, most memorably in the semi-final of the 2025 ODI World Cup.

Unlike in 2017, Harmanpreet could not score a hundred on that occasion, but her 89 was still a superb captain’s innings. Together with Jemimah Rodrigues’s century, it helped India secure a famous win over their arch-rivals.

India then beat South Africa in the final to reach what many consider the peak of achievement in the history of Indian women’s cricket.

With multiple titles and trophies won under her leadership, Harmanpreet leaves behind a powerful legacy for her successor, Smriti Mandhana, to match.