Harmanpreet Kaur Steps Down as India Captain

Kaur has left the captaincy across formats but says she intends to continue playing for India.

SportsOctober 6, 20263 min readHow Sureno writes this

The short version

Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down as India captain across all formats, with immediate effect, according to the ICC. ¹
She said she plans to keep playing, describing the change as the end of her captaincy, not the end of her cricket career. ¹²
The ICC reports that she led India in five Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is. ¹
The available reports do not name a successor or explain when India will announce one. ¹²

What did Harmanpreet Kaur announce?

On October 6, 2026, the ICC reported that Kaur had stepped down as captain of India’s women’s team across all formats, effective immediately. The change covers Test, one-day international (ODI) and Twenty20 international (T20I) cricket. ¹

Kaur made the announcement in a statement on Instagram, as reported by the ICC. She described the decision as difficult and reflected on the memories, effort and emotions tied to leading the team. ¹

Is Harmanpreet Kaur retiring from cricket?

The sources say she is leaving the captaincy, not retiring from playing. Kaur said she is ready to play for the love of the game, and Rediff also reported that she will continue to play. ¹²

That distinction matters: India will need a captain, but Kaur’s announcement does not say that she is leaving the national team. The available reports do not give further details about her playing plans or future role. ¹²

How long was Kaur India’s captain?

Kaur took charge of India’s T20 team in 2016. She became the full-time captain in ODIs and Tests in 2022, after Mithali Raj left international cricket. ¹

Across her captaincy, she led India in five Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is, according to the ICC. Her final assignment as captain ended with India winning gold at the 2026 Asian Games, the ICC reports. ¹

What did India achieve under her captaincy?

The defining achievement highlighted in the ICC report is India’s first Women’s Cricket World Cup title, won under Kaur’s leadership in November 2025 on home soil. ¹

The ICC also says India won Asian Games gold in both 2022 and 2026 under her captaincy. The supplied sources give limited detail about her wider record, so they do not provide enough information to assess every result or the reasons behind her decision. ¹

Who will captain India’s women’s team next?

The reports available as of October 6, 2026, do not name Kaur’s replacement or give a date for an appointment. Because her resignation takes effect immediately, a successor will be needed for India’s next captaincy duties, but the supplied sources do not say who will take them. ¹²

The headlines provided mention a BCCI review meeting, but the research material does not explain its outcome or confirm that the meeting selected a new captain. It is therefore too early to say what the board will decide. ¹²

What we don't know yet

Who will be appointed India’s captain in Tests, ODIs and T20Is.
When the BCCI will announce its decision.
Whether Kaur will take on any other leadership role while continuing to play.
What prompted her decision; the reports do not give a specific reason beyond her reflections on the demands and memories of captaincy.

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Questions people ask

Has Harmanpreet Kaur quit as India captain?

Yes. The ICC reports that she has stepped down from captaincy across all formats with immediate effect. ¹

Is Harmanpreet Kaur retiring from international cricket?

The announcement covered her captaincy, not retirement from playing. Kaur said she intends to continue playing, and Rediff reported the same. ¹²

Who is the new captain of India’s women’s cricket team?

No new captain is named in the reports available as of October 6, 2026. They also do not state when an appointment will be made. ¹²

When did Harmanpreet Kaur become India captain?

The ICC says Kaur took charge of the T20 team in 2016. She became full-time ODI and Test captain in 2022 after Mithali Raj’s departure from international cricket. ¹

What was Harmanpreet Kaur’s biggest achievement as captain?

The ICC identifies leading India to its first Women’s Cricket World Cup title, in November 2025 on home soil, as the biggest moment of her career. It also reports that she led India to Asian Games gold in 2022 and 2026. ¹

Sources

Harmanpreet Kaur steps down as India captain | ICC — icc, 2026-10-06
India Women — Rediff