Who is India women’s cricket captain now? Smriti Mandhana takes over as Harmanpreet Kaur stays in squad
Smriti Mandhana is India women’s new cricket captain. The Board of Control for Cricket in India appointed her on October 6, 2026, after Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down from the captaincy across all formats. Mandhana will begin her tenure with home T20I and ODI series against Zimbabwe starting October 16. Harmanpreet has not retired: she has said she wants to keep playing and has been selected for both series.
What changes under Smriti Mandhana?
Mandhana moves from vice-captain to the leadership role. The BCCI describes her as India’s full-time white-ball captain, while the International Cricket Council describes the handover as spanning formats. No Test series is part of the upcoming Zimbabwe tour, so her first scheduled matches in charge are in T20Is and ODIs.
The appointment does not put an unfamiliar player in charge. Mandhana has previously led India in 18 T20Is and four ODIs, according to the BCCI. The left-handed opener has also captained Royal Challengers Bengaluru to Women’s Premier League titles in 2024 and 2026. Her new responsibility is to lead India on a continuing basis rather than fill in when the regular captain is unavailable.
The Zimbabwe squads show the immediate leadership arrangements. Mandhana is named captain in both. Shafali Verma is vice-captain for the T20Is, while Deepti Sharma holds that role for the ODIs. Harmanpreet is listed as a player in each squad.
Why did Harmanpreet Kaur step down?
Harmanpreet said she had decided, after careful consideration, that it was the right time to hand over the captaincy and let the team move forward under new leadership. She did not give a more specific reason in the statement published by the BCCI. Her decision should not be presented as the result of a particular match, selection dispute or demand from officials without evidence establishing that connection.
The change ends a long captaincy tenure. Harmanpreet became India’s regular T20I captain in 2016 and took over the ODI and Test roles in 2022. Her team won India’s first Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2025, then secured a second consecutive Asian Games gold medal in 2026. The Asian Games was her final assignment as captain.
Will Harmanpreet Kaur keep playing for India?
Yes, that is her stated intention, and she is in India’s next two squads. Harmanpreet said she wants to continue representing India as a player and support the team’s new leadership. Selection for the Zimbabwe T20Is and ODIs confirms she remains part of the immediate plans, although it does not guarantee a place in every playing XI or future squad.
That distinction matters: stepping down as captain is not the same as retiring from international cricket. Mandhana can now lead a side that still includes the player she succeeds, giving India continuity on the field as the leadership changes.
When is Mandhana’s first match as captain?
India’s first scheduled match under Mandhana is a T20I against Zimbabwe in Raipur on October 16, 2026. Two further T20Is are scheduled there for October 18 and 20. The teams then move to Vadodara for ODIs on October 23, 25 and 28.
The series will provide the first look at Mandhana’s approach as the appointed captain. What is confirmed for now is the leadership change, the Zimbabwe schedule and Harmanpreet’s continued selection—not any particular change to India’s tactics or playing XI.
