The hierarchy in Indian women’s cricket just flipped. Smriti Mandhana is now the undisputed boss across all formats, a move finalized on Tuesday after Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down as captain. It’s a clean break. Mandhana, 30, has led India in 18 T20Is and four ODIs before, but this is her full-time debut. She also steered Royal Challengers Bengaluru to Women’s Premier League titles in 2024 and 2026, so the pedigree is there.
They didn’t leave her alone at the top. Shafali Verma gets the vice-captaincy in T20Is, a role that suits her aggressive, no-nonsense style. Deepti Sharma takes the same spot in ODIs, bringing crucial all-round experience to the 50-over side. Both players stay in the squad, alongside Harmanpreet, who continues as a player for the upcoming home series.
"Being given the responsibility of leading India is a very special honour," Mandhana said in a BCCI release. She paid respects to Harmanpreet, calling her contribution "important part of our journey." It’s a respectful handover, not a coup. The chemistry needs to hold, and the first real test is coming fast.
The Zimbabwe series kicks off in Raipur on October 16 for T20Is, with ODIs following in Vadodara from October 23. The T20I squad saw Pratika Rawal left out, replaced by Niki Prasad, Minnu Mani, Anushka Sharma, and Jintimani Kalita—all of whom featured in recent matches against Australia. In the ODI setup, Jemimah Rodrigues is out with a hamstring injury, but Vaishnavi Sharma makes the cut after a six-wicket haul against Australia Women’s A.
This is a fresh start. New faces, new leadership. The pressure is on to prove this isn’t just a reshuffle, but a genuine leap forward for the team.