Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down as captain of the Indian women’s cricket team across all three formats — Tests, ODIs and T20Is — with immediate effect on October 6 2026. The decision was particularly notable because, as per Cricbuzz, Kaur had been offered the option to continue leading the side in ODIs and Tests, yet she chose to relinquish the captaincy across every format simultaneously.
The development followed a review meeting held on October 5 2026, involving BCCI officials and head coach Amol Muzumdar. No official reason for Kaur’s decision has been disclosed by the BCCI or any other organisation. She will continue as a player for India across all formats and remains available for selection.
Kaur’s tenure as captain spanned a decade of Indian women’s cricket. She first took charge of the T20I side in 2016 and went on to become the full-time ODI and Test skipper in 2022, following Mithali Raj’s departure from international cricket. Over that period, she led India in 5 Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is, making her captaincy record one of the most extensive in the history of Indian women’s cricket.
What did Harmanpreet Kaur achieve as India captain?
Among the most significant achievements of Kaur’s captaincy was leading India to the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title in 2025, a landmark moment for the women’s game in the country. Her final assignment as skipper brought further glory, with India claiming a second consecutive gold medal at the Asian Games, having won the title in both 2023 and 2026.
Those two achievements — a World Cup triumph and back-to-back Asian Games gold medals — underline the scale of what Kaur delivered during her time at the helm. She took charge of a side that had been building steadily and guided it to the sport’s highest honours across formats and multi-sport competitions alike.
Why did Harmanpreet Kaur step down and what happens next?
The specific reason behind Kaur’s decision to step down has not been made public. Despite being offered the opportunity to remain as ODI and Test captain, she chose to walk away from the role in all three formats at once. The BCCI has not issued a formal statement explaining the circumstances surrounding the decision.
Also Read: 3 candidates who could replace Harmanpreet Kaur as India captain
As of October 6 2026, no successor has been named by the BCCI. Kaur’s continued availability as a player across formats means the selectors will need to identify a new captain for each format before India’s next assignments.
