A change in leadership is confirmed for India’s women’s cricket team, with Harmanpreet Kaur deciding to give up the captaincy across all formats. This follows the BCCI review meeting in Guwahati on Monday, attended by Harmanpreet, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and head coach Amol Muzumdar. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia presided over the meeting. Details have not been made public, but the review came after questions had been raised over Harmanpreet’s position as captain. She later announced her decision through a statement on Instagram.
“Today, I step down as captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team across all formats,” Harmanpreet wrote. She made clear that leaving the role was not simple after memories, emotions and sacrifices. “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,” she said. Her message focused on what the responsibility had meant to her rather than circumstances. Harmanpreet stressed she had given everything to the team and Indian women’s cricket.
“I have given everything I had to this team and to Indian women’s cricket – my blood, my sweat, my time, and many times, a part of my own game and personal ambitions,” Harmanpreet said. She explained that being captain meant making difficult choices, including decisions that were not always understood or easy. “As a captain, I have had to make difficult decisions,” she wrote. Her statement showed that she had accepted the difficult parts of leadership along with responsibility. She also reflected on the moments she experienced while leading India.
“I have seen it all,” Harmanpreet wrote, recalling the lowest moments, heartbreak, criticism and doubts, along with victories, celebrations and pride. She said those experiences had made the sacrifices meaningful. Even while announcing her departure from the captaincy, Harmanpreet did not suggest that she was stepping away from cricket. Instead, she said she was leaving the role with mixed emotions but a sense of calm about what comes next. “I leave the captaincy today with a heart full of emotions, but also with PEACE,” she said.
Harmanpreet shared why she felt comfortable making the decision now. “I feel I have done my duty,” she said, adding that she had given everything she had and carried the responsibility with pride. She thanked her teammates, coaches, support staff, management, the BCCI, her family and fans who supported her through the highs and lows. Her message turned towards the future, making clear that the end of her captaincy does not mean the end of her journey with Indian cricket. She wrote, “Now, it is time for me to turn the page.”
She ended her statement by making her plans clear. “Captaincy may end today, but my love for Indian cricket never will.” She then added, “Blood. Sweat. Sarifice. Pride. I gave it all.” Harmanpreet also said, “Now, I’m ready to play for the love of the game again.” The line of her message summed up the change in role: “Captaincy ends. The journey continues.” She has stepped down as captain across all formats but remains a player for India.
The BCCI review meeting in Guwahati and Harmanpreet’s announcement have brought an end to her time as India’s captain. The meeting included Harmanpreet, Smriti Mandhana, Amol Muzumdar and Devajit Saikia, while details of the discussion have not been made public. Harmanpreet’s statement gave the explanation of her decision, describing it as emotional but peaceful. Her focus now moves away from captaincy and towards playing the game. As she put it, “Captaincy ends. The journey continues.”
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