Smriti Mandhana Appointed New Captain of Indian Women’s Cricket Team

Star Indian batter Smriti Mandhana has been appointed as the new captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team, succeeding Harmanpreet Kaur, who has stepped down from the captaincy across formats.

Key Highlights

• Smriti Mandhana, aged 30, was serving as the vice-captain of the Indian women’s team before being elevated to the captaincy.
• She has previously captained India in 18 T20 Internationals and 4 One-Day Internationals.
• Mandhana made her international debut in 2013 and has represented India in Tests, ODIs and T20Is.
• She has also led Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to two Women’s Premier League titles.

Harmanpreet Kaur’s Captaincy Record

Harmanpreet Kaur, 37, stepped down after a highly successful tenure as India captain.

She captained India in:

• 5 Tests
• 51 ODIs
• 155 T20Is

Under her leadership, India achieved several major milestones, including:

• India’s first-ever Women’s 50-over World Cup title
• Four T20 Asia Cup titles
• Two Asian Games gold medals

Harmanpreet Kaur has clarified that she will continue playing international cricket as a player despite giving up the captaincy.

Why It Matters

The appointment of Smriti Mandhana marks the beginning of a new leadership era in Indian women’s cricket. With significant international and franchise captaincy experience, Mandhana is expected to lead the team in upcoming major tournaments while Harmanpreet Kaur continues to contribute as a senior player.