Mumbai, Oct 8:
Newly appointed India women’s cricket team captain Smriti Mandhana has paid tribute to Harmanpreet Kaur after the veteran all-rounder stepped down as captain across formats, bringing an end to her 10-year stint as India’s leader.
Mandhana described Harmanpreet’s decade of leadership as “fantastic” and said she hoped the two would continue their journey together for many more years. “It’s been a pleasure playing with you for so many years. Ten years of your leadership have been fantastic and together, we will strive to bring many more laurels for our nation,” Mandhana said in a message posted on Instagram.
Harmanpreet’s captaincy tenure included some of the most significant achievements in Indian women’s cricket. She led India to their maiden ODI World Cup title in November 2025 and guided the team to gold medals at the Asian Games in 2023 and 2026.
Mandhana will now take over as India’s all-format captain and will begin her full-time leadership role with the home T20I and ODI series against Zimbabwe later this month. Harmanpreet, however, will continue to be part of the Indian team and has been included in both squads for the Zimbabwe series.
Several members of the Indian team also paid tribute to Harmanpreet. Jemimah Rodrigues congratulated her on her achievements and thanked her for her years of leadership. Wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh said Harmanpreet’s captaincy chapter may have ended but the impact of her leadership would remain. She thanked her for the belief, guidance and fighting spirit she had brought to the team.
Spinner Shree Charani, who had worked closely with Harmanpreet across formats, thanked her for her support, encouragement and guidance. Seamer Renuka Singh Thakur also credited Harmanpreet with inspiring players and helping pave the way for the next generation.