Changes have occurred in the leadership of Indian women's cricket: following Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana has been appointed as the new permanent captain of the Indian team. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Smriti's appointment on Tuesday, marking the beginning of a new era of captaincy in Indian women's cricket.
Smriti has long been one of the key figures in the Indian squad. Now, in addition to the responsibility of leading the game, she is also tasked with leading the team. She will be the permanent captain of India in both ODI and T20 International formats.
Captaincy is not entirely new experience for Smriti; she previously captained India in 18 T20 Internationals and 4 ODIs. However, this is the first time she has been entrusted with leading the team in both white-ball formats on a regular basis.
Having played for India since 2013, Smriti has extensive experience in international cricket and has gone through many important stages of the team. As the team enters a new phase, the BCCI has entrusted her with the responsibility of leadership.
One of the most significant factors in favor of Smriti is her track record in franchise cricket. She helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru win the Women's Premier League title in 2024 and 2026.
Thus, before taking charge of the Indian national team, Smriti had already achieved championship success as a captain at a major arena. This experience will now be useful in working with the national team.
The most important point in Smriti's statement was that after receiving the captaincy, she first remembered Harmanpreet Kaur's contribution. She noted that Harmanpreet led the team with complete dedication for many years and was an important part of the journey of the Indian team.
Smriti stated: 'Receiving the responsibility to lead India is a great honor. Representing India has always meant a lot to me, and the opportunity to lead the team is a responsibility I deeply value.' She also thanked the BCCI, selectors, teammates, and everyone who supported her along the way.
Smriti expressed gratitude to Harmanpreet, acknowledging the importance of her role in the leadership and the team's journey. Smriti understands that serious tasks lie ahead. Indian women's cricket has been constantly evolving in recent years, and now the team must maintain this momentum.
On one hand, Smriti must fulfill her duties as a batter, and on the other, as captain, she will be responsible for the team composition, player utilization, and decision-making in crucial matches.
BCCI Chairman Nitin Manhas congratulated Smriti, noting that she has played an important role in Indian cricket for many years and consistently demonstrated the qualities required for leadership. He expressed the board's confidence in Smriti's experience and understanding of the game.
BCCI Honorary Secretary Devdjit Saikia also highly praised Smriti's leadership qualities. He emphasized that Smriti is among the most experienced players in India, and her success as captain of RCB is an example of her leadership abilities.
After a long period of captaincy by Harmanpreet Kaur, the leadership of Indian women's cricket has passed to Smriti Mandhana. She possesses both international experience and championship success as a WPL captain.
Now, the real story is how far Smriti can take the Indian team using her success as RCB captain. The face of captaincy in Indian women's cricket has changed, and a new chapter for the Indian team will be written in the name of Smriti Mandhana.
Following the change of captain in Indian women's cricket, the first squad of the Indian team under Smriti Mandhana was announced. The Women's Selection Committee announced the Indian squad for the upcoming T20 and ODI series against Zimbabwe. Smriti Mandhana will captain in both formats, while Harmanpreet Kaur will remain in the squad as a player.
The T20 series will be held in Raipur, and the ODI series will be hosted in Vadodara. This will be the first major event for the Indian team under Smriti's leadership after the captaincy change.
Smriti has taken charge in both formats. Shafali Verma is the vice-captain in the T20 team, and Dipti Sharma has taken this role in the ODI team. Thus, the selectors have clearly defined the new leadership structure. Smriti is now the permanent captain of the team, Shafali is her deputy in T20, and Dipti Sharma is the vice-captain in ODI.
Harmanpreet is in the squad, but the captaincy has gone to others. This change clearly demonstrates the end of one phase of leadership in Indian women's cricket and the beginning of another.
