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Why Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down as T20 captain and Smriti Mandhana took charge
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News18•07-10-2026, 15:33
Why Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down as T20 captain and Smriti Mandhana took charge
- •Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down from T20 captaincy to focus on her batting and relieve pressure, staying with the team as a key middle-order batsman.
- •Smriti Mandhana took over as captain after serving as vice-captain for eight years, bringing fresh leadership and new ideas for the T20 format.
- •The leadership change aims to address India's recent T20 World Cup shortcomings and build a strong squad with the 2028 Olympic Games in mind.
- •Shafali Verma has been appointed as the new vice-captain to promote fresh thinking and active experimentation within the team.
- •Smriti emphasized introspection, accepting shortcomings, and making strategic combinations in partnership with head coach Amol Muzumdar.
Key Questions Answered
Harmanpreet stepped down to relieve herself of captaincy pressure and regain her batting form, especially after India failed to reach the semi-finals in the 2024 and 2026 World Cups.
Smriti Mandhana served as the vice-captain for eight years before finally taking over the leadership responsibility.
Shafali Verma was appointed as the vice-captain, signaling an effort to bring fresh thinking and active leadership to the squad.
