Overview
- Harmanpreet announced on October 6, 2026 that she was relinquishing captaincy across all formats in an Instagram post and said she will continue to play for India.
- Her decision followed a BCCI review meeting in Guwahati that was chaired by secretary Devajit Saikia and attended by head coach Amol Muzumdar and vice‑captain Smriti Mandhana.
- Smriti Mandhana is widely reported as the front‑runner to take over after leading in Harmanpreet's absence and captaining Royal Challengers Bengaluru to WPL titles, though a formal BCCI appointment is still pending.
- India will test the new leadership quickly with a home series against Zimbabwe starting October 16, a tour of South Africa and the country’s role as host of the inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy in February 2027.
- Harmanpreet ends a decade of top‑level leadership that included the 2025 ODI World Cup win and the 2026 Asian Games gold, leaving a record of major tournament success and a role-changing transition for the team.