New Delhi: A historic chapter in Indian women’s cricket has come to an end, with Harmanpreet Kaur stepping down as captain across all formats after leading India to their maiden senior ICC Women’s ODI World Cup title.
Kaur announced her decision on social media, ending her tenure as the full-time T20I captain that began in 2018 and her ODI leadership stint that started in 2022, when she succeeded the iconic Mithali Raj.
The decision comes shortly after Kaur guided India to their landmark World Cup triumph, becoming the first woman captain to lead the country to a senior ICC World Cup title. India defeated South Africa in the final on home soil to create history.
In an emotional message, Kaur said stepping away from the captaincy was one of the toughest decisions of her career, given the years of memories, sacrifices and responsibilities associated with leading the national side.
She said she had repeatedly put the team’s interests ahead of her individual ambitions, adding that several of the decisions she took as captain came with personal costs but were made with the aim of helping the team and its players grow.
A trophy-filled leadership era
Kaur’s captaincy produced several memorable milestones for Indian women’s cricket.
She led India to four Asia Cup titles — in 2012, 2016, 2022 and 2026 — and guided the side to consecutive Asian Games gold medals at Hangzhou in 2022 and Aichi-Nagoya in 2026.
Her tenure also featured India’s first bilateral women’s ODI series victory in England since 1999, achieved in 2022.
She later led India to a historic Test victory against Australia in 2023 and a breakthrough T20I series win over England in 2025.
Kaur also became the first cricketer to captain a team in more than 150 T20I matches, moving past the figures recorded by leading men’s captains such as MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.
Lord’s victory among recent highlights
One of the most notable achievements of her captaincy came earlier this year when India defeated England by 270 runs in the first-ever women’s Test at Lord’s.
The result added another landmark to a leadership career that has coincided with the rapid growth and increasing success of Indian women’s cricket.
Kaur, however, said she was leaving the captaincy with satisfaction that the team was in a strong position.
She expressed confidence in the current group, describing it as a side with talent, character and belief, and said she was looking forward to continuing to be part of its journey.
‘Captaincy ends. The journey continues’
Kaur thanked her teammates, coaches, support staff, management, the BCCI, her family and fans for supporting her through the highs and lows of her leadership career.
She said her love for Indian cricket would remain unchanged and that she was now ready to return to the field simply for the love of the game.
With the leadership chapter closed, Kaur will now continue her journey as a player, carrying the experience of one of the most significant captaincy eras in Indian women’s cricket.
