New Delhi, Oct 7 — Former India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur believes that her team is in safe hands with Smriti Mandhana taking over the captaincy baton, backing her long-time teammate to take the team forward after a leadership journey that spanned more than a decade.
Harmanpreet, who took over the responsibility of leading India in 2012, stepped down as captain across all formats on Tuesday, bringing an end to a significant chapter of her career. Her decision came after India’s Asian Games campaign, where the team won the gold medal, but Harmanpreet made it clear that the move was not prompted by one particular tournament or result.
Instead, she said the decision was driven by her desire to enjoy the game more, focus on her own cricket and make time for family and friends, while continuing to contribute to the team through her experience and mentorship.
The 37-year-old, who led India to their maiden ODI World Cup title, also spoke about her relationship with Mandhana, with whom she has shared the Indian dressing room for more than a decade. Harmanpreet said their long-standing understanding would continue to be valuable as they move into a new phase, with Mandhana now leading the side.
In an exclusive interaction with IANS, Harmanpreet opened up about her decision to step down, what captaincy taught her, her relationship with Mandhana and her ambitions as a player going forward.