A new chapter has begun for Indian women's cricket. The BCCI on Tuesday, October 6, named Smriti Mandhana the captain of the India women's team, hours after Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down from the role she had held for close to a decade. Mandhana's first series in charge will be a six-match home series against Zimbabwe starting October 16, and the selectors have also named the T20I and ODI squads.
The board described the change as "a dawn of a new era" in a post on X, wishing the left-handed opener well as she takes over.
Why the captaincy changed
Harmanpreet announced her decision on social media, calling it "not an easy decision" and making clear she will continue to play. "Captaincy ends. The journey continues," she wrote. The move followed a review meeting in Guwahati with BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, head coach Amol Muzumdar and Mandhana.
Her tenure brought India's biggest moments in the women's game, including the first global title at last year's ODI World Cup. But questions grew after India's second straight group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup in June, and the board opted for a fresh start.
Mandhana said that being given the responsibility of leading India was "a very special honour." BCCI president Mithun Manhas said the board had full confidence in her.
Smriti Mandhana's record as leader
Mandhana, 30, has been part of the Indian team since 2013 and has played 9 Tests, 120 ODIs and 179 T20Is. She has already led India in 22 white-ball internationals as stand-in captain.
| T20Is as captain | 18 matches: 11 wins, 6 losses, 1 no result |
| ODIs as captain | 4 matches: 4 wins |
| WPL captaincy | Royal Challengers Bengaluru, titles in 2024 and 2026 |
| T20I vice-captain | Shafali Verma |
| ODI vice-captain | Deepti Sharma |
| First series as captain | vs Zimbabwe, from October 16 |
Her biggest leadership success so far has come in the Women's Premier League, where she led RCB to two titles. That experience of managing a dressing room full of international stars is one reason the selectors trusted her with the top job.
India vs Zimbabwe women's series schedule
The series is the first-ever bilateral meeting between the two sides and will be played in two cities.
- 1st T20I: October 16, Raipur
- 2nd T20I: October 18, Raipur
- 3rd T20I: October 20, Raipur
- 1st ODI: October 23, Vadodara
- 2nd ODI: October 25, Vadodara
- 3rd ODI: October 28, Vadodara
India's squads
T20I squad
Smriti Mandhana (captain), Shafali Verma (vice-captain), Niki Prasad, Harmanpreet Kaur, Anushka Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), G Kamalini (wk), Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, Sree Charani, Nandni Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Jintimani Kalita, Minnu Mani.
ODI squad
Smriti Mandhana (captain), Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur, Harleen Deol, Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma (vice-captain), Richa Ghosh (wk), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Vaishnavi Sharma, Nandni Sharma, Sree Charani, Kranti Gaud, Sayali Satghare, Renuka Thakur.
Key talking points
Twenty-year-old Karnataka batter Niki Prasad has earned her maiden T20I call-up after strong performances for India A against Australia A. Anushka Sharma returns to the T20I side after a run of fifties in the A series. Jemimah Rodrigues misses out as she recovers from a hamstring injury picked up in The Hundred. Harmanpreet features in both squads as a senior batter.
What it means for Indian cricket fans
The appointment marks a generational handover. Mandhana is one of the most popular cricketers in the country, and her calm, attacking style at the top of the order is likely to shape how the team plays. With Shafali and Deepti as deputies, the leadership group combines youth and experience.
The Zimbabwe series gives the new captain a lower-pressure start at home, a chance to test combinations and give young players game time before tougher assignments.
What happens next
The squad will assemble in Raipur ahead of the first T20I on October 16. All eyes will be on how Mandhana balances captaincy with her role as opener, and how Harmanpreet settles in as a senior player under a new leader. The bigger test will come with the next ICC events, where the new leadership will be judged on whether it can turn India's depth into consistent titles.
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