Smriti Mandhana steps into captaincy amid uneasy transition.

Harmanpreet Kaur’s resignation highlights dressing room divisions.

Smriti Mandhana has officially taken charge as captain of the Indian women’s cricket team following Harmanpreet Kaur’s decision to step down, a move that has brought simmering tensions within the squad into sharper focus.

Harmanpreet, who first assumed leadership in 2016, ended her decade-long tenure after guiding India to back-to-back Asian Games gold medals. Her resignation came during a BCCI review meeting in Guwahati, where officials made it clear that a change of guard was inevitable. At 37, she remains determined to continue playing, but her exit from captaincy has exposed underlying strains in team dynamics.

Mandhana, widely regarded as India’s most accomplished batter, was the obvious successor. Since her debut in 2013, she has amassed over 10,000 runs across formats, blending elegance with growing power. Yet many believe her elevation came later than it should have. Critics argue that selectors hesitated too long, even after India’s ODI World Cup triumph last year, while the team struggled in successive T20 World Cups.

Reports suggest that the captaincy issue created friction between Harmanpreet and Mandhana, once close allies. A team source revealed that the two “were not seeing eye to eye,” leading to unease in the dressing room. The situation intensified after India’s early exit from the T20 World Cup in the UK earlier this year.

Former skipper Mithali Raj added weight to the debate, questioning Harmanpreet’s form and fitness while insisting Mandhana should have been handed the reins two or three years earlier. She even proposed splitting responsibilities, with Mandhana leading in ODIs and Tests, while a younger player such as Shafali Verma could take charge in T20s.

Factionalism has long shadowed women’s cricket in India. When Harmanpreet replaced Mithali in 2022, relations between the two veterans were strained, and similar divisions now threaten team unity. With Mandhana at the helm, selectors hope to stabilize leadership and chart a path toward bigger global titles.

For Harmanpreet, the challenge now is to prove her worth purely as a batter. Her recent dip in form has heightened expectations, and she will need to deliver consistently to remain central to India’s plans. As the team builds on its recent continental successes, the spotlight will remain on whether Mandhana and Harmanpreet can set aside differences and work together for the greater cause of Indian cricket.