‘I feel I have done my duty’: Harmanpreet Kaur steps down as India captain

Harmanpreet Kaur (BCCI Photo) India women’s long-serving captain Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down as captain in all three formats. The 37-year-old said she has fulfilled her responsibility as captain and is now ready to return to the game without the pressure of management.“Today I am stepping down as the captain of the Indian women’s cricket team across all formats,” she wrote on her Instagram account.“It’s not an easy decision”Harmanpreet said giving up the captaincy was an emotional decision after years of leading India.“It is not an easy decision. It carries with it years of memories, emotions, sacrifices and moments that will stay with me for the rest of my life,” Harmanpreet said in a lengthy statement.She also made it clear that stepping down as captain does not mean the end of her international career.“Now I am ready to play again for the love of the game. The captain ends. The journey continues,” she added.Ten years as T20I captainHarmanpreet took over the Indian T20I team in 2016 and remained in the role for 10 years. She became the ODI captain in 2022 and took over as the all-format leader in 2023.Her time as captain included some of the greatest achievements of Indian women. Under her leadership, India won their first ODI World Cup in November last year and recently secured their second consecutive Asian Games gold in the T20 format.Harmanpreet said she was stepping down from the management with confidence in the team’s future.“I step down as captain with an emotional heart, but also with a sense of calm,” she said.“Because I really believe my team is in a good place,” she said.

STATEMENT BY HARMANPREET KAUR:

Today I retire as the captain of the Indian women’s cricket team across all formats.It’s not an easy decision. It holds years of memories, emotions, sacrifices and moments that will stay with me for the rest of my life.I gave everything I had to this team and to Indian women’s cricket – my blood, my sweat, my time and many times a part of my own game and personal ambition. There were times when I had to put aside my individual performance, my own growth and what I wanted for myself because I believed that the team had to come first.As captain I had to make tough decisions.Decisions that were not always understood, not always easy and sometimes came at a personal cost. But every decision I made was with one intention – to make this TEAM better and give other players the opportunity to grow, believe in themselves and become the best version of themselves.I’ve seen it all.I’ve seen the deepest moments, the heartbreak, the criticism, the doubt, and the days when nothing seemed to go our way. And I’ve also experienced the highest highs – the victories, the celebrations, the pride in representing our country and the moments when every sacrifice was worth it.| leave the captaincy today with a heart full of emotion, but also with PEACE.Because I really believe my team is in a good place. A team with talent, character, belief and a future that I am incredibly excited to watch and be a part of.I feel I have done my duty.I gave this team everything I had. I have carried the responsibility with pride and will always be grateful for the privilege of leading Indian women’s cricket.Now it’s time for me to turn the page.The captain may end today but my love for Indian cricket will never end.Thank you to every teammate, coach, support staff, management, BCCI, family members, every fan who has stood by me through the highs and lows.Blood. Sweat. Sarifica. Pride.I gave it my allNow I’m ready to play again for the love of the game.The captain quits. The journey continues.