The curtain fell on Harmanpreet Kaur's captaincy on Tuesday. The 37-year-old told the BCCI she is handing over the reins across all formats.
But the exit isn't a retreat. Harmanpreet made it clear she's staying in the squad. She wants to keep wearing the India jersey, shifting her focus from leading the line to backing the new leadership from the dressing room.
The timing is impeccable. She leaves at the absolute peak. The 2025 Women's World Cup final in Navi Mumbai remains the defining moment. India chased down South Africa by 52 runs to claim their maiden ODI title.
Her legacy is etched in the records. She became the most-capped international player in women's cricket. She is the first to feature in 200 T20Is and the first to captain 150. Before all that, her unbeaten 171 against Australia in the 2017 semifinal was the stuff of legends.
BCCI President Mithun Manhas called her contribution a "special place" in history. Secretary Devajit Saikia highlighted how she kept faith in the team even after years of falling short. The baton is now in new hands, but the foundation Harmanpreet built is solid.
The team now looks ahead to finding a fresh voice to lead them. For Harmanpreet, the journey continues, just in a different role.