Media365
2 min readOct 8, 2026 07:17 AM IST
First published on: Oct 8, 2026 at 06:13 AM IST
Harmanpreet Kaur’s contribution as captain of the women’s cricket team cannot be measured only by the ODI World Cup trophy she lifted last year. It can be seen in the way the team began to carry itself on the biggest stages. When Harmanpreet took over, India had already reached two ODI World Cup finals. But there was still a sense that the team had to prove it belonged among the best. During her captaincy, the results began to follow more consistently. India reached the 2018 T20 World Cup semifinal, the 2020 T20 World Cup final and the 2023 T20 World Cup semifinal before going all the way in the 2025 ODI World Cup.
The journey was not smooth. Harmanpreet’s batting became less consistent, and her decisions were often questioned. But she remained at the centre of the team through the difficult periods. Her leadership was driven by her passion for the game and a strong belief in the players around her. The World Cup win turned that belief into reality. Now, as Smriti Mandhana takes over, she inherits a team that has tasted success and knows what is expected at the highest level. Mandhana cannot and should not try to recreate Harmanpreet’s leadership style. She will have to lead in her own way. But she will be expected to protect the confidence that has been built and take it further.
That is the challenge. Harmanpreet helped India believe it belonged at the top. Mandhana has to make sure that belief does not fade — and turns into a habit of winning. After back-to-back group-stage exits at the T20 World Cup, winning a title in the shortest format will be a priority.
