Long-serving India women's cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur has announced her resignation as skipper across all formats, bringing an end to a successful era in which she led the South Asian side to its first ICC Women's World Cup title on home soil in 2025.
Kaur announced the decision in a social media post on Tuesday, two weeks after guiding India to a successful defence of their gold medal at the Asian Games.
"Today, I am stepping down as the captain of the India women's cricket team across all formats," Kaur wrote on Instagram. "This was not an easy decision. It carries with it so many memories, emotions, sacrifices and moments that will stay with me for the rest of my life."
At 37, Kaur had held the T20 captaincy for more than a decade after taking on the role in 2016, later adding the ODI and Test captaincy from 2022. She made her international debut for India in the T20 and ODI formats in 2009 and went on to forge a decorated captaincy career.
According to Indian media reports, Kaur's decision came a day after she met Devajit Saikia, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), to discuss the future of the women's team. Opening batter Smriti Mandhana, who has served as Kaur's vice-captain since 2022, is seen as a strong candidate to succeed her.
Under Kaur's leadership, India claimed their maiden Women's Cricket World Cup title last November on home soil. Most recently, she led the team to defend their Asian Games crown with a victory over Sri Lanka, shortly after lifting the Women's Asia Cup in September.
The top-order batter also helped India reach the semi-finals of the 2018 and 2023 Women's T20 World Cups, along with a runners-up finish in 2020. Kaur captained India in five Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is, and is the first cricketer — male or female — to captain in more than 150 international T20Is.
"I step down today with a heart full of emotion, but also at peace… because I truly believe my team is in a good place," she continued in the post. "I feel I have completed my job. The role of captain may end today, but my love for Indian cricket will never end. Now, I am ready to play for the love of the game once again. The captaincy ends. The journey continues."
