Harmanpreet Kaur Steps Down as India Women's Cricket Captain

World Cup-winning skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down as captain of the Indian women's cricket team in all formats, with immediate effect. The 37-year-old announced her decision on 6 October 2026, ending a leadership run of nearly ten years. She will continue to play for India as a player.

Harmanpreet Kaur Captaincy Career

Harmanpreet became India's T20I captain in 2016. In 2022, after Mithali Raj retired, she took over as full-time captain in ODIs and Tests as well. She led the team in 5 Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is. Her last assignment as captain ended on a high, with India winning the Asian Games gold medal.

Harmanpreet Became the Third Indian Captain to Win a 50-Over World Cup

The biggest moment of her captaincy came in 2025, when India won its first ICC Women's Cricket World Cup title at home. With this win, she became the third Indian captain, after Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni, to lift a 50-over World Cup. She also joins Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav among Indian captains who have won a senior World Cup title.

Harmanpreet Kaur Asian Games and Commonwealth Games Contribution

Under her captaincy, India won back-to-back Asian Games gold medals in 2022 and 2026. At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, she led the team to a silver medal, as India lost the final to Australia.

Harmanpreet Kaur's First Player to Captain a Team in 150 T20 Internationals

Harmanpreet became the first player, male or female, to captain a team in more than 150 T20 Internationals. India reached the semi-finals of the Women's T20 World Cup in 2018 and 2023, and finished runners-up in 2020. In June 2026, she also became the first player to reach 200 T20Is.