Smriti Mandhana was appointed India’s all-format captain on October 6, 2026, following Harmanpreet Kaur’s decision to step down after a decade leading the team. Mandhana has previously captained India in 18 T20Is and four ODIs, bringing prior experience to the role. Her first full-time assignment will be the home series against Zimbabwe, with three T20Is scheduled in Raipur from October 16.
A strategic review meeting took place in Guwahati on October 7, 2026, bringing together Smriti, Harmanpreet, head coach Amol Muzumdar and BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia to discuss the transition. Smriti participated in the selection meeting with the Amita Sharma-led selection panel for the Zimbabwe squads. Former Indian cricketer Anjum Chopra has assessed Mandhana’s readiness for the role, highlighting the distinct advantages she brings to the captaincy compared with her predecessors.
“Smriti does not need to step into Harman’s shoes at all. She has experience leading India. The Guwahati games against England in 2019 were the first time she captained the team and, fortunately, she has had more time in a leadership role prior to becoming full-time captain than Harman or anyone else had,” said Anjum as quoted by NDTV Sports.
“Smriti can chart her own territory. The challenges the Indian team currently faces are well known, and I am sure Smriti is aware of them. Her biggest challenge will be addressing those gaps, whether in T20Is or ODIs, and building on where the team has reached. All these players – Deepti, Smriti, Jemimah – reached this pedestal together. Now it’s about taking it to the next level,” she added.
Anjum Chopra on Harmanpreet’s ODI World Cup legacy
Take the best parts and bring forward: Anjum
Anjum said Mandhana should develop her own leadership style rather than imitate Harmanpreet Kaur. She stressed that Smriti must build on her 12 to 13 years of experience with India, using the lessons learned from previous leaders to strengthen her decision-making and take the team forward.
“If you weren’t looking for a change, why did the change happen? I don’t expect Smriti to be a clone of Harman, and nobody should be a clone. You take the best parts of every leader, bring them forward, and make them your own. Smriti has been around the Indian team for a long time now. She doesn’t need to clone Harman; she needs to build on everything she has learned playing for India over the last 12 to 13 years. She has captaincy experience, high skill levels, and world travel under her belt. She knows the conditions and the opposition across the globe,” said Anjum.
“The next step for her is deciding what takeaways to imbibe into her own decision-making and how to push the team forward. If every captain is identical and uses the same template, there is no need for change. No captain should be the same. They need to elevate the team beyond where it was when they received the baton, ensuring that by the time the next person takes over, the team has reached greater heights. That is how the sport progresses, and that is how players grow individually,” she added.
Move towards to Champions Trophy will be crucial: Anjum
Anjum believes India’s players will need time to adjust to Mandhana’s captaincy but expects the transition to be smooth. She noted that the Zimbabwe series would provide an opportunity to settle into the new leadership setup. Chopra also stressed the importance of individual responsibilities and collective clarity as India prepare for future challenges.
“It’s not going to be simple for any player to adapt to that change. The good thing is the Indian team will have a little time to settle in, and I assume there will be a camp before the series starts. This series isn’t against a world No. 1 side where tension is running high, so the players will have space and time to adjust. People in that dressing room will quickly realise they have to look in a different direction for instructions and guidance. Nobody needs to play the elder sister; everyone knows each other well enough, and the players will adapt as they always do,” said Anjum.
“While you have different setups across formats, the captain remains the same for the T20I and ODI sides. How everyone shapes up moving toward the ICC Champions Trophy in India will be closely measured. Everyone has to start defining their own pathway. While the captain makes the ultimate decisions, every player in this team must understand their individual role before they step onto that path collectively,” she added.
Mandhana has good experience in captaincy: Anjum
Anjum highlighted Mandhana’s experience, particularly her success as Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s captain in the WPL, as valuable preparation for leading India. She believes Smriti has developed the skills and understanding required for the role. Chopra added that her leadership will now be assessed through her decisions, preparation and ability to guide the team forward.
“When you become a full-time leader and start captaining the Indian team, it’s the experiences you dwell upon. Smriti has built up a good amount of experience over the years. The WPL is a prime example. When you lead a franchise team in your own country and win titles, you learn a lot about yourself. She has had very good grooming to become a leader. That’s why those statements came out saying she’s ready for the captaincy. Someone without that background wouldn’t say that; they’d simply say, ‘I’m looking forward to the challenge.’ The language and preparation change when you’re ready,” said Anjum.
“How she comes out as the leader of the Indian team is something we will all see. Whatever happened in the past is done. Now the job is clearly defined: you are the captain of the Indian team. What you make of it – the decisions, the preparation, the process – will be what we start analysing and measuring from here,” she concluded.
