Smriti Mandhana Takes Charge As India Women’s Captain; Shafali Verma Named T20I Deputy

Smriti Mandhana has been appointed the new captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, taking over from Harmanpreet Kaur, who stepped down from the leadership role across all formats on Tuesday.

The change in leadership was confirmed after the Women’s Selection Committee met at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati to select India’s squads for the upcoming three-match T20I and ODI series against Zimbabwe. Mandhana, who had served as Harmanpreet’s long-time deputy, was widely expected to take charge of the team.

Shafali Verma To Be T20I Vice-Captain

Shafali Verma has been named Mandhana’s deputy in T20Is, while Deepti Sharma will serve as vice-captain in the ODI format.

Mandhana will begin her full-time captaincy tenure with India’s upcoming white-ball series against Zimbabwe. The three T20Is will be played in Raipur, while the three ODIs are scheduled in Vadodara. The first T20I is set to be played on October 16, with the tour concluding with the third ODI on October 28.

Mandhana Brings Strong Leadership Experience

Mandhana enters the role with considerable leadership experience. She has twice led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the Women’s Premier League title and has previously captained India when required.

The left-handed opener has also established herself as one of the leading batters in women’s international cricket. She recently became the leading run-scorer in T20 internationals and has several major batting records to her name.

In a statement released by the BCCI, Mandhana described leading India as a “very special honour” and thanked the board, selectors, teammates and supporters for placing their trust in her.

She also acknowledged Harmanpreet’s contribution to Indian cricket and said she looked forward to working with the team and doing her best to take Indian cricket forward.

Harmanpreet Kaur Steps Down After Historic Tenure

Mandhana’s appointment came only hours after Harmanpreet announced her decision to step down as India’s captain across all three formats.

Harmanpreet, who led India in five Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is, leaves the captaincy after a historic tenure. Under her leadership, India won their first-ever women’s 50-over World Cup on home soil in 2025, along with major titles in Asian cricket and the Asian Games.

However, India’s continued search for a T20 World Cup title and Harmanpreet’s recent struggles with the bat in the shortest format added to the pressure surrounding the team’s leadership transition.

Harmanpreet will continue to be part of India’s squads as a player.

Zimbabwe Series Marks Start Of New Era

The Zimbabwe tour will be Mandhana’s first assignment after being formally handed the captaincy.

India’s T20I squad is led by Mandhana, with Shafali as vice-captain and Harmanpreet also included. The ODI squad will see Deepti Sharma serve as Mandhana’s deputy.

Mandhana’s bigger challenge will come in the months ahead, with India preparing for the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to be held in India early next year.

The leadership change marks the beginning of a new chapter for Indian women’s cricket, with Mandhana now tasked with building on Harmanpreet’s legacy while steering the team towards further success across formats.