HARMANPREET KAUR STEPS DOWN AS INDIA WOMEN’S CRICKET CAPTAIN ACROSS FORMATS

New Delhi, Oct 06, 2026 : Harmanpreet Kaur on Tuesday announced that she has stepped down as captain of the Indian women’s cricket team across all formats, bringing an end to her tenure at the helm.

Kaur announced her decision in a post on Instagram, saying it was a difficult call shaped by years of memories, emotions and sacrifices.

Kaur’s decision comes after she led India to a gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games. One of the defining achievements of her captaincy came in 2025, when she guided India to their maiden Women’s ODI World Cup title.

“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,” Kaur said.

“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,” she added.

Reflecting on the challenges of leadership, Kaur said she had to make difficult decisions that were not always understood 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,” she said.

Kaur said her captaincy journey had seen both difficult periods and memorable triumphs, adding that she was leaving the role with a sense of peace and confidence in the team’s future.

“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,” she said.

Kaur added that while her tenure as captain had ended, her commitment to Indian cricket remained unchanged.

“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,” she said.

She also thanked her teammates, coaches, support staff, team management, the BCCI, her family and fans for supporting her through the highs and lows of her captaincy.

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