Newly appointed India women's cricket team captain Smriti Mandhana on Wednesday paid tribute to outgoing skipper Harmanpreet Kaur after the veteran batter stepped down from captaincy across all formats.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Tuesday announced Smriti as the new captain of the Indian women's team after Harmanpreet relinquished the leadership role. Harmanpreet's future as captain had come under scrutiny during a BCCI review meeting in Guwahati on Monday, following India's second consecutive group-stage exit from the T20 World Cup in England in June.
"It has been a pleasure playing with you for so many years. Ten years of your leadership have been fantastic, and together, we will strive to bring many more laurels for our nation," Smriti, who will take over the reins starting with India's white-ball series against Zimbabwe from October 16, wrote on her Instagram Stories.
ALSO READ: Smriti Mandhana Named India Women's New Captain After Harmanpreet Kaur Steps Down
Despite the setback, Harmanpreet ended her captaincy tenure on a high, leading India to a gold medal at the Asian Games in Japan. She will also guided India to their maiden women's ODI World Cup title at last year's ODI World Cup. The 37-year-old led India in five Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is during her captaincy stint.
For Smriti, the appointment marks the beginning of a new chapter in her international career. Since making her India debut in 2013, she has represented the country in nine Tests, 120 ODIs and 179 T20Is.
The left-handed batter has also been a key figure in India's batting line-up alongside Harmanpreet over the years. Smriti was instrumental in India's recent Asian Games gold medal triumph, smashing a 45-ball 79 in the final against Sri Lanka in Nisshin, Japan.
She also brings considerable leadership experience into the India captaincy role, having guided Royal Challengers Bengaluru to two Women's Premier League titles, in 2024 and 2026.
With Harmanpreet stepping away from the captaincy, Smriti now takes charge of the Indian women's team across formats, marking the beginning of a new era for the side.
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