Harmanpreet Kaur steps down as India captain after string of recent victories

Harmanpreet Kaur announced via social media that she was stepping down as India’s captain, a move reported on October 06, 2026, and her Instagram page drew nearly 3 lakh views and more than 10,000 comments within two hours. The immediate reaction underscored both her personal reach and the growth of women’s cricket from humble beginnings.

Her departure brings to an end what the article calls the reign of the most successful captain in Indian women’s cricket. The piece notes there had been sustained discussion about a change in leadership from former teammates and former selectors, and that those calls had grown louder recently. A photograph accompanying the report showed Harmanpreet in action during an Asian Games match (Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy).

The report lists Harmanpreet’s last three assignments as the Asian Games, the Asia Cup and the first-ever Women’s Test at Lord’s, and states India won all three in resounding fashion. It adds she quit as captain immediately after leading India to those significant triumphs. The article specifically says, “Harmanpreet has got the timing right.”

It recalls a major disappointment at the T20 World Cup in England, where India failed to make the knockout stage. By contrast, last year Harmanpreet led the Women in Blue to the ODI World Cup at home, which the article describes as India’s first ever victory in a global ICC tournament.

The report describes the 50-over World Cup campaign as one in which Harmanpreet “led her women from the front,” noting the side were in a must-win situation in game after game. It also states she relished the responsibilities of captaincy and was not weighed down by its burdens, adding that in cricket the role is more than an armband, unlike other sports.

The piece outlines aspects of her leadership off the field, saying she took youngsters such as Kranti Goud and Shree Charani under her wings and gave Shafali Verma the confidence to bowl. Those examples are presented as part of her broader approach to nurturing new players.

The article concludes by noting Harmanpreet’s decision hands the captaincy to Smriti Mandhana, “in all likelihood,” and says the timing gives the new captain enough time to settle into the job before India’s next big event.