Smriti Mandhana named Indian women's cricket captain

Opener and star batter Smriti Mandhana was named as the full-time captain of the Indian women's cricket team on Tuesday.

This development came just hours after the 2025 ICC Women's ODI World Cup winning skipper Harmanpreet Kaur announced her decision to step down from her post.

Mandhana, who has previously led India in 18 T20Is and four ODIs, has been representing India at the highest level for more than a decade since her debut in 2013.

"Being given the responsibility of leading India is a very special honour. Representing India has always meant a great deal to me, and to now have the opportunity to lead the team is something I will value deeply," said Mandhana in a statement.

Mandhana, who has also led the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to two Women's Premier League titles, also acknowledged the role played by outgoing captain Kaur.

"I would also like to acknowledge Harmanpreet and the contribution she has made as captain over the years. She has led the team with great commitment and has been an important part of our journey," she said.

Even as the Indian women's cricket team turns a new leaf, Kaur will continue to be an integral part of Mandhana's set up despite her middling returns with the bat especially in the shortest format of the sport in recent times.

Mandhana's first assignment as the full-time captain will be the upcoming Zimbabwe tour of India, consisting of three ODIs and three T20Is.

While the T20I series will be held in Raipur, the ODI series will be held in Vadodara.

Indian squad for Zimbabwe series

T20Is: Smriti Mandhana [C], Shafali Verma [VC], Niki Prasad, Harmanpreet Kaur, Anushka Sharma, Richa Ghosh [WK], G Kamalini [WK], Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, Sree Charani, Nandni Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Jintimani Kalita, Minnu Mani

ODIs: Smriti Mandhana [C], Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur, Harleen Deol, Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma [VC], Richa Ghosh [WK], Yastika Bhatia [WK], Vaishnavi Sharma, Nandni Sharma, Sree Charani, Kranti Gaud, Sayali Satghare, Renuka Thakur

Zimbabwe tour of India Schedule