BCCI may look past Harmanpreet Kaur as the captain of the Indian women’s unit after yet another failure in the T20 World Cup.
India’s Women’s T20 World Cup campaign came to a premature end, as the women in blue were knocked out in the group stage following losses to New Zealand and Australia. India failed to qualify for the semifinals despite having one of the stronger squads in the tournament, with an opening match loss to the Kiwis, meaning Harmanpreet Kaur’s team had their backs against the wall throughout the entire group stages.
Harmanpreet Kaur at a press conference before the T20 World Cup.(Hindustan Times)
Following this disappointing performance, it has come to light that BCCI and the team management may look to replace Harmanpreet Kaur in as captain with an eye on the future. Head coach Amol Mazumdar is set to meet with BCCI officials and the selection committee to discuss the path forward for the women’s team, reported The Indian Express.
“The BCCI will certainly discuss whether to have a new captain on board going ahead,” said a source quoted in the report. “The Indian board has provided everything the team wanted, and we feel it’s high time a new face led the team in the future.”
The meeting between Mazumdar and officials is meant to take place before the series against New Zealand, which begins on October 24. It remains unclear whether any change would be taken with immediate effect, or whether Kaur will remain in charge in this series.
‘Will continue to be an important member…’
Kaur has been in charge of the Indian team since her appointment in 2016. While the unit has become a regular fixture late in tournaments, including a handful of appearances in finals, the team management will be considering a reset ahead of the crucial home ODI World Cup in 2025.
“Harmanpreet will continue to be an important member of the team but the BCCI feels it’s time for transition,” commented the source. Kaur had a solid performance on an individual level in the World Cup with bat.
The likely alternative for captaincy is current vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, who also has leadership experience having led Royal Challengers Bangalore to the WPL title in 2024. Mandhana has also led India in the past when Harmanpreet Kaur has been unavailable for the national team.
A captaincy refresh might help India overcome the biggest hurdles in crucial knockout matches, which are against a team that has shown consistent improvement across formats in recent years.
