‘A special place in Indian cricket history’: BCCI welcomes Harmanpreet Kaur after stepping down as India captain

Harmanpreet Kaur (ANI Photo) NEW DELHI: Harmanpreet Kaur’s 2025 Women’s World Cup triumph will remain the defining achievement of her captaincy and ensure her contribution to Indian cricket occupies a “special place” in its history, the BCCI said on Tuesday after the veteran stepped down as India’s leader across formats.BCCI president Mithun Manhas paid tribute to Harmanpreet’s leadership during a significant period of growth for women’s cricket in India while expressing satisfaction that the 37-year-old will continue to represent the country as a player.“Harmanpreet Kaur’s contribution as captain will always have a special place in the history of Indian cricket,” Manhas said in a statement issued by the BCCI.“Winning the 2025 World Cup will undoubtedly be the defining achievement of her captaincy. It was the culmination of years of progress, hard work and belief. Her Asian Games gold medals and many important victories during her tenure further underscore her contribution.”

From World Cup triumph to a new chapter

Harmanpreet took over India’s T20I captaincy in 2016 before becoming the full-time ODI and Test captain in 2022 following the departure of Mithali Raj. Her leadership culminated in India winning its first women’s title in the 2025 World Cup last month and successfully defending its Asian Games gold in Nagoya, Japan.In her communication to the BCCI, Harmanpreet said she believed the time was right to hand over the captaincy, but made it clear that her commitment to Indian cricket remained unchanged.“Leading India has been one of the greatest honors and privileges of my life,” she said.“After careful consideration, I believe the time is right for me to hand over the responsibilities of captaincy and allow the team to move forward under new leadership.”The former captain also confirmed that she intends to continue playing for India and contribute to the team in another capacity.“However, my commitment to Indian cricket remains as strong as ever. I would like to continue to represent the Indian women’s cricket team as a player and contribute to the success of the team in every way,” she said.

Captaincy defined by historical milestones

Harmanpreet’s crowning achievement came in the final of the 2025 World Cup in Navi Mumbai where India defeated South Africa by 52 runs to win their first ODI World Cup title.She also played a key role in the semi-final against Australia, scoring 89 and sharing a match-winning partnership of 167 runs with Jemimah Rodrigues as India chased down a record 339.Her leadership journey began more than ten years earlier. She captained India for the first time in the 2012 Women’s Asia Cup T20 final against Pakistan after Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami were ruled out due to injury, leading the side to an 18-run victory and the inaugural title.She became India’s regular T20I captain in 2016 and took over as ODI and Test captain after Mithali’s departure. Under her leadership, India reached the final of the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup, won silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and won their first Asian Games gold that year, before successfully defending their title in Nagoya.Harmanpreet’s longevity has also yielded a number of individual milestones. This year, she became the most limited-overs international player in women’s cricket, while also becoming the first player to appear in 200 T20Is and the first to captain in 150 T20Is.Long before becoming India’s captain across all formats, she established herself as one of the country’s greatest match-winners, most famously smashing an unbeaten 171 against Australia in the 2017 Women’s World Cup semi-final.

BCCI supports Harmanpreet’s decision to continue playing

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said Harmanpreet could be “immensely proud” of what she achieved as captain, especially the journey that eventually culminated in the World Cup triumph.“You experienced the disappointment of falling short, but you continued to believe in the team and its ability to achieve more. That’s why winning the 2025 World Cup was so special,” Saikia said.“You have been part of the journey for many years and finally got the opportunity to lead India to its first Women’s Cricket World Cup title. That will always remain one of the great moments in Indian cricket.”Saikia also appreciated the thinking behind Harmanpreet’s decision to step down and continue as a player, saying her experience and influence will remain valuable to the younger members of the side.“I also appreciate the thought and consideration with which you have taken this decision. You have chosen to hand over responsibility at a time when you believe the team is ready for a new chapter, while continuing to contribute as a player,” he said.Harmanpreet, meanwhile, said she was looking forward to remaining part of the India set-up and supporting the team’s new management.“I look forward to continuing this journey in the Indian jersey and contributing to Indian cricket with the same pride, humility and commitment that I have always carried,” she said.