Photo: Collected
Harmanpreet Kaur has announced that she is stepping down from the captaincy of the India women’s cricket team in all three formats. The 37-year-old star batter took the decision to give up the leadership right after leading the team to the titles in the Asia Cup and the Asian Games.
Harmanpreet has been leading India since 2012. However, she got the full-fledged captaincy in all three formats in 2022. She has said she will continue playing for India even though she is giving up the leadership.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) held a review meeting with the India women’s team in Guwahati on Monday. Along with Harmanpreet, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and coach Amol Muzumdar were also there. Demands to remove Harmanpreet from the leadership had been raised for quite some time. She announced the decision to give up the captaincy right after the meeting.
In a message posted on social media, Harmanpreet described her decision as a difficult one. She said that while serving as captain she placed the interests of the team above her own performance, personal improvement and various aspirations.
Harmanpreet said that as captain she had to take many difficult decisions, not all of which everyone could understand. But the improvement of the team was her only purpose behind every decision. She has witnessed the team’s difficult times, disappointment, criticism and doubt as well as the moments of success.
Harmanpreet also said she is satisfied with how she carried out her responsibility as she leaves the leadership. She believes the Indian women’s team is now in a good position and that she has been able to carry out her responsibility properly.
Although the chapter of leadership is ending, her journey for India is not stopping. In Harmanpreet’s words, ‘The chapter of captaincy may end, but my love for Indian cricket will never end. The chapter of captaincy is over. But the journey will go on.’
