Harmanpreet Kaur resigns as India cricket captain

India’s Harmanpreet Kaur has resigned from her role as captain across all formats of cricket.

The 37-year-old first took permanent charge of the country in 2016 having previously captained on a temporary basis. She led India to historic victories in the ODI World Cup and Asian Games – where they secured the gold medal – and her tenure will be remembered as a defining era for the women’s cricket team.

Harmanpreet announced her decision to step down as captain in a lengthy post on social media where she explained that the decision was not an easy one to make but that she leaves the team ‘in a good place’.

“I feel I have done my duty,” she added. “I gave this team everything I had. I carried the responsibility with pride, and I will always be grateful for the privilege of leading Indian women’s cricket.”

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been evaluating the team’s performances over the last few months and has created a roadmap for the future of the team. A meeting to review the findings was chaired by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, with Harmanpreet, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and head coach Amol Muzumdar all attending.

Harmanpreet’s resignation followed that meeting though there is no confirmation that she was asked to step down during it. Mandhana, meanwhile, is expected to take over as captain across all formats (Test, ODI and T20).

Also included in Harmanpreet’s social media post was her desire to continue playing for India despite handing over the captaincy as she said she is ‘ready to play for the love of the game again’.

Her post reads: “Today, I step down as captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team across all formats.

“This is not an easy decision. It carries years of memories, emotions, sacrifices, and moments that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I have given everything I had to this team and to Indian women’s cricket — my blood, my sweat, my time, and many times, a part of my own game and personal ambitions. There were moments when I had to put my individual performance, my own growth, and what I wanted for myself aside, because I believed the team had to come first.

“As a captain, I have had to make difficult decisions. Decisions that were not always understood, not always easy, and sometimes came at a personal cost. But every decision I made was with one intention – to make this TEAM better and to give other players the opportunity to grow, believe in themselves and become the best versions of themselves.

“I have seen it all. I have seen the lowest moments, the heartbreak, the criticism, the doubts and the days when nothing seemed to go our way. And I have also experienced the highest highs – the victories, the celebrations, the pride of representing our country, and the moments that made every sacrifice worth it.

“I leave the captaincy today with a heart full of emotions , but also with PEACE. Because I genuinely believe my team is in a good place. A team with talent, character, belief and a future that I am incredibly excited to watch and be a part of.

“I feel I have done my duty. I gave this team everything I had. I carried the responsibility with pride, and I will always be grateful for the privilege of leading Indian women’s cricket. Now, it is time for me to turn the page.

“Captaincy may end today, but my love for Indian cricket never will. Thank you to every teammate, coach, support staff, management, BCCI, family members every single fan who stood by me through the highs and lows.

“Blood. Sweat. Sarifice. Pride. I gave it all now, I’m ready to play for the love of the game again. Captaincy ends. The journey continues.”