New Delhi: Harmanpreet Kaur, the only captain of the Indian women’s cricket team to have won a World Cup, announced her resignation from the captaincy across all formats on Tuesday.
She expressed her desire to return to playing for the sheer joy of the sport.
The 37-year-old’s decision followed a review meeting held by the BCCI in Guwahati, which assessed the team’s recent performance. The meeting was led by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and included Harmanpreet, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, and head coach Amol Muzumdar.
Smriti Mandhana, who has been vocal about her aspirations to lead the team, is considered the leading candidate to succeed Harmanpreet.
In an emotional Instagram post, Harmanpreet stated, “Today, I step down as captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team across all formats.” She reflected on the memories and sacrifices that came with her role.
Despite her struggles with form, she had previously expressed a desire to lead the team through to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, for which India has already secured qualification.
Harmanpreet took on the T20 captaincy in 2016 and became the ODI captain in 2022, eventually leading the team in all formats by 2023.
She remarked, “I feel I have done my duty. I gave this team everything I had. I carried the responsibility with pride, and I will always be grateful for the privilege of leading Indian women’s cricket.”
Although she is stepping down from captaincy, she will continue to represent India in all formats.
Harmanpreet added, “Now, it is time for me to turn the page. Captaincy may end today, but my love for Indian cricket never will. Blood. Sweat. Sacrifice. Pride. I gave it all. Now, I’m ready to play for the love of the game again.”
In her heartfelt message, she acknowledged the sacrifices made for the team, often prioritizing collective success over personal ambitions.
Under her leadership, the Indian team achieved significant milestones, including winning its first ODI World Cup last year and securing a second consecutive gold medal at the Asian Games in T20 format. She also led the team to a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Overall, Harmanpreet captained India in five Tests, 51 ODIs, and 155 T20Is.
She stated, “As a captain, I have had to make difficult decisions. Decisions that were not always understood, not always easy, and sometimes came at a personal cost.”
Despite the challenges, she emphasized that every choice was made with the intention of improving the team and fostering growth among her teammates.
Following India’s failure to reach the T20 World Cup semi-finals earlier this year and her own struggles with batting, calls for a leadership change grew louder, with former players like Diana Edulji supporting Mandhana’s promotion.
Harmanpreet reflected on her journey, saying, “I have seen it all. I have seen the lowest moments, the heartbreak, the criticism, the doubts and the days when nothing seemed to go our way. And I have also experienced the highest highs – the victories, the celebrations, the pride of representing our country, and the moments that made every sacrifice worth it.”
She concluded her statement with a mix of emotions, saying she leaves the captaincy with peace, believing the team is in a strong position for the future.
Harmanpreet’s post was accompanied by a photo of her at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.