For a decade, Harmanpreet Kaur carried the responsibility of leading Indian women’s cricket in T20Is. Over the years, that responsibility grew to include the ODI format too, eventually making her India’s all-format captain.

Now, at 37, Harmanpreet has decided to step down from captaincy across all three formats. But this is not a goodbye. It is a new chapter.

In an emotional statement, Harmanpreet said she had given everything she could to the team—including moments when she had to put aside her own performances, growth and personal ambitions because she believed the team had to come first.

“Captaincy ends. The journey continues,” she wrote.

From Pressure to Pride

Harmanpreet took over as India’s T20I captain in 2016 and went on to lead the team through some of the most significant moments in its recent history.

Under her leadership, India reached the 2018 T20 World Cup semifinal, the 2020 T20 World Cup final and the 2023 T20 World Cup semifinal.

Then came a historic breakthrough. In November 2025, India won its maiden Women’s ODI World Cup, finally turning years of promise into a world title.

India also recently secured a second successive Asian Games gold in T20 cricket, adding another major achievement to Harmanpreet’s leadership journey.

For a player who had experienced both heartbreak and triumph, the World Cup victory carried special meaning.

The Captain Who Changed Belief

Harmanpreet’s legacy is about more than the trophies. When she became captain, Indian women’s cricket was growing rapidly, but consistency and belief were still being built. She brought intensity. She was expressive, fearless and willing to take responsibility when the pressure was greatest.

That spirit was visible from one of her early landmark performances as captain—a memorable 103 against New Zealand at the 2018 T20 World Cup.

Over the years, she helped create a team that increasingly expected to compete with the best. Today, that team has players such as Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma, alongside younger talents who have stepped up with confidence.

The Journey Continues

Captaincy can demand a price. Harmanpreet acknowledged that herself, saying there were times when she put her own game and ambitions aside for the team. Now, she can return to the field without the weight of leading every decision. She leaves captaincy with what she described as a “heart full of emotions”, but also with peace.

Because she believes the team is in a good place. And perhaps that is the most beautiful part of her farewell. She is not walking away from Indian cricket.

She is simply putting down the captain’s burden and picking up the bat again—ready to play for the love of the game. The captaincy ends. Harmanpreet’s story does not.