# Smriti Mandhana Takes Helm of Indian Women's Cricket Following Harmanpreet Kaur's Exit

> Smriti Mandhana has been appointed captain of India women's national cricket team across limited-overs formats after Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down, beginning her tenure on the Zimbabwe tour.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Cricket · **Published:** 2026-10-06 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/cricket/harmanpreet-kaur-ke-istiphe-ke-bada-smriti-mandhana-ko-mili-bharatiya-mahila-tima-ki-kamana-44108 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Indian Womens Cricket Team, Zimbabwe Tour, BCCI, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma

A major leadership transition has taken place in Indian women's cricket, with premier opening batter Smriti Mandhana taking charge of the national squad. The development unfolded swiftly after long-serving skipper Harmanpreet Kaur decided to step down from captaincy across all three formats. Within hours of her departure, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed Mandhana as the team's new captain. Her full-time leadership stint will begin during the upcoming bilateral tour of Zimbabwe, for which the governing body has unveiled the touring contingent.

## Prior Leadership Experience and Split Vice-Captaincy Roles
Leading the national side is familiar territory for Mandhana, who has previously shouldered captaincy responsibilities during stand-in spells across 18 T20Is and 4 ODIs. However, this marks the first time that the board has formally named her the full-time skipper for limited-overs cricket. For the upcoming fixtures against Zimbabwe, the selectors have structured different deputy roles across formats. Dynamic opening batter Shafali Verma has been named vice-captain for the twenty-over matches, while premier all-rounder Deepti Sharma will serve as vice-captain in the one-day internationals.

## Mandhana Reacts to Her Appointment
Expressing her feelings upon receiving the role, Smriti Mandhana described the leadership position as a tremendous privilege in her sporting career. Reflecting on the honor, she noted, 
> "Captaining the Indian team is a matter of immense honour for me."
 Mandhana added that wearing national colors has always been extraordinarily meaningful to her, emphasizing that she intends to fulfill this leadership responsibility with complete dedication. She also extended her sincere gratitude to the BCCI, the national selectors, her teammates, and everyone who supported her throughout her cricketing pathway.

## Tour Schedule and Confirmed Squads for Zimbabwe Series
The upcoming bilateral contest in Zimbabwe will feature three T20 matches followed by three one-day internationals. The selection committee has assembled a blend of established core performers and promising prospects across both squads.

**India T20 Squad:**

- Smriti Mandhana (Captain) and Shafali Verma (Vice-Captain)
- Niki Prasad, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Anushka Sharma
- Richa Ghosh (Wicketkeeper) and G Kamalini (Wicketkeeper)
- Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, Shree Charani, and Nandini Sharma
- Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Jintimani Kalita, and Minnu Mani

**India ODI Squad:**

- Smriti Mandhana (Captain) and Deepti Sharma (Vice-Captain)
- Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, and Harleen Deol
- Harmanpreet Kaur and Tejal Hasabnis
- Richa Ghosh (Wicketkeeper) and Yastika Bhatia (Wicketkeeper)
- Vaishnavi Sharma, Nandini Sharma, and Shree Charani
- Kranti Gaud, Sayali Satghare, and Renuka Thakur

## What this means for you
This leadership transition directly shapes the strategic trajectory and lineup dynamics of the Indian women's cricket team heading into upcoming tours.

- **For Cricket Fans:** Viewers will witness a fresh tactical outlook and on-field captaincy style under Smriti Mandhana. Fans can follow this new setup across three T20Is and three ODIs during the tour of Zimbabwe.
- **Impact on Team Dynamics:** Harmanpreet Kaur will now feature purely as a specialist batter without the burden of captaincy responsibilities. This shift could help her focus entirely on stabilizing and accelerating the middle order.
- **Opportunities for Young Players:** Elevated leadership roles for Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma strengthen India's secondary leadership bench. Several emerging players named in the touring party will receive crucial international exposure.
- **Match Viewing Schedule:** Supporters will need to check forthcoming broadcast timings for the bilateral fixtures in Zimbabwe. Following the match dates will allow fans to track Mandhana's inaugural games as full-time skipper.

## Why this happened
This significant shift occurred after an unexpected leadership vacancy prompted cricket administrators to install their long-term successor immediately.

- **Immediate Catalyst:** Harmanpreet Kaur abruptly decided to relinquish her captaincy across all three international formats. Her sudden resignation required the BCCI to announce a formal successor within hours.
- **Mandhana's Track Record:** Smriti Mandhana had already stepped into the leadership role previously, captaining in 18 T20Is and 4 ODIs. Her extensive senior experience made her the clear consensus choice for full-time appointment.
- **Strategic Vice-Captaincy Split:** Selectors appointed Shafali Verma for T20s and Deepti Sharma for ODIs as vice-captains. This split structure distributes operational workload while developing future leaders.
- **Next Phase:** The squad will travel for the bilateral series in Zimbabwe, where Mandhana formally begins her tenure. Performances during these fixtures will shape India's limited-overs tactics ahead of future global competitions.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Who has been named the new captain of the Indian women's cricket team?
Star opening batter Smriti Mandhana has been appointed as the new captain of the Indian women's cricket team.

### 2. Why was the captaincy changed?
The change occurred after Harmanpreet Kaur abruptly stepped down from captaincy across all three international formats.

### 3. What prior captaincy experience does Smriti Mandhana hold?
Mandhana has previously captained the national team in 18 T20Is and 4 ODIs.

### 4. Who are the vice-captains for the tour of Zimbabwe?
Shafali Verma is the vice-captain for the T20 series, while Deepti Sharma will serve as vice-captain in the ODI series.

### 5. What is the schedule format for the Zimbabwe series?
The bilateral tour consists of three T20 matches followed by three one-day internationals.

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