Cricket / “Time to Turn the Page”: Harmanpreet Kaur Bids Farewell to India Captaincy

New Delhi, Oct 6: Indian women’s cricket great Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down as the captain in all three formats of international cricket marking the end of a defining era in Indian women’s cricket.

From inheriting the mantle in T20Is back in 2018 to guiding the ODI side after Mithali Raj’s retirement in 2022, she carried the weight of expectation with resilience and fire.

Her leadership was not just about runs and results — it was about shaping a team’s identity in transition, bridging generations, and instilling belief that India could stand tall on the world stage.

Also read: India Women Retain Asian Games Gold, Crush Sri Lanka by 147 Runs

Now, as she relinquishes the reins across formats, the moment feels less like a resignation and more like a turning of the page in a story she helped script — one of grit, evolution, and legacy.

“Today, I step down as captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team across all formats. This is not an easy decision. It carries years of memories, emotions, sacrifices, and moments that will stay with me for the rest of my life," Kaur wrote on Instagram.

"I have given everything I had to this team and to Indian women’s cricket — my blood, my sweat, my time, and many times, a part of my own game and personal ambitions. There were moments when I had to put my individual performance, my own growth, and what I wanted for myself aside, because I believed the team had to come first.

“As a captain, I have had to make difficult decisions. Decisions that were not always understood, not always easy, and sometimes came at a personal cost. But every decision I made was with one intention - to make this TEAM better and to give other players the opportunity to grow, believe in themselves and become the best versions of themselves,” she added.

She carved her legacy in golden letters when she became the trailblazing skipper to deliver India’s first-ever senior ICC World Cup crown, scripting history with a triumphant win over South Africa on home soil.

It wasn’t just a victory — it was a watershed moment that redefined the horizons of Indian women’s cricket and placed Harmanpreet among the game’s immortal leaders.

“I have seen it all. I have seen the lowest moments, the heartbreak, the criticism, the doubts and the days when nothing seemed to go our way. And I have also experienced the highest highs — the victories, the celebrations, the pride of representing our country, and the moments that made every sacrifice worth it,” Kaur wrote.

Harmanpreet’s captaincy reign was studded with silverware, as she steered India to a record four Asia Cup triumphs in 2012, 2016, 2022 and 2026, cementing her status as the tournament’s most successful leader.

Her golden touch extended to the Asian Games too, where she inspired the team to back‑to‑back podium‑topping finishes in Hangzhou 2022 and Aichi‑Nagoya 2026, turning India’s women’s cricket into a continental powerhouse and etching her name among the sport’s most decorated captains.

“I leave the captaincy today with a heart full of emotions , but also with PEACE. Because I genuinely believe my team is in a good place. A team with talent, character, belief and a future that I am incredibly excited to watch and be a part of. I feel I have done my duty. I gave this team everything I had. I carried the responsibility with pride, and I will always be grateful for the privilege of leading Indian women’s cricket. Now, it is time for me to turn the page.

“Captaincy may end today, but my love for Indian cricket never will. Thank you to every teammate, coach, support staff, management , BCCI , family members every single fan who stood by me through the highs and lows. Blood. Sweat. Sarifice. Pride. I gave it all. Now, I’m ready to play for the love of the game again. Captaincy ends. The journey continues,” she concluded.

Harmanpreet’s captaincy journey was defined by trailblazing milestones that reshaped India’s place in world cricket. In 2022, she broke a 23‑year drought by guiding the team to its first bilateral Women’s ODI series win on English soil since 1999.

The following year, she masterminded a historic Test victory against Australia, while in 2025 she delivered another breakthrough by clinching a T20I series against England, stamping her authority across formats.

Her leadership wasn’t just about wins — it was about rewriting records. Harman became the first cricketer, male or female, to captain a side in over 150 T20Is, surpassing icons like MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.

And in 2026, she etched her name into Lord’s folklore, leading India to a resounding 270‑run victory in the first‑ever women’s Test played at the iconic ground.

Each achievement added another layer to her legacy, proving that her reign was as much about history‑making as it was about inspiring the next generation.

(IANS)