Mandhana penned an emotional message for Harmanpreet Kaur [Source: AFP]Smriti Mandhana, the newly appointed India Women’s captain, paid a heartfelt tribute to Harmanpreet Kaur after she stepped down from the captaincy post on Tuesday. The duo has shared a close bond over the last ten years, and Mandhana describes Harmanpreet’s leadership as “fantastic.”Mandhana shared a picture of Harmanpreet on her Instagram story and penned an emotional message as she steps into her role as the India captain in white-ball cricket.Mandhana's heartfelt message for Harmanpreet KaurMandhana was appointed Harmanpreet’s successor on Tuesday, and this is what the newly appointed leader had to say about her teammate and former captain."It's been a pleasure playing with you for so many years. Ten years of your leadership have been fantastic and together we will strive to bring many more laurels for our nation."CREX @Crex_live Smriti Mandhana shares a story for Harmanpreet after taking over as India’s captain.♥️ #SmritiMandhana #HarmnapreetKaur #TeamIndia Oct 7, 2026, 3:02 PM Mandhana made her international debut in 2013, and since then, she has shared the dressing room with Harmanpreet Kaur. Moreover, in the last decade, the left-handed batter has learnt the art of captaincy as she now takes the mantle forward.Mandhana, the ideal Harmanpreet Kaur replacement as captainWhen Harmanpreet stepped away from her captaincy role, it was obvious that the 30-year-old would become the new India Women’s captain.ALSO READWhere Does Harmanpreet Kaur Rank Among Indian Captains With Most Matches In Tests, ODIs, T20Is?Mandhana has the credentials to lead the team at the highest level, and she already has the captaincy experience, having led India in 18 T20Is and 4 ODIs in Harmanpreet’s absence.Moreover, she has also enjoyed considerable success in the WPL as the RCB captain. Under her guidance, the RCB franchise won its maiden title in 2024, and they repeated the feat in 2026.Her leadership in the WPL has been appreciated, and moreover, captaincy doesn’t affect her batting performance. The left-handed opener has been one of the leading figures in Women’s cricket, and she recently scored 10,000 runs at the international level.Mandhana's first assignment as India's captainMandhana’s first assignment as the India Women’s captain will be the home series against the touring Zimbabwe side.On Tuesday, the BCCI revealed the ODI and T20I squad for the Zimbabwe series, and the matches will mark the full-time captaincy debut for the Mumbai-born player.She’ll be eager to start her captaincy journey with a win as the Women in Blue take on the Zimbabwean side in three T20Is and as many ODI matches.ALSO READRavi Ashwin Opens Bhuvneshwar Kumar's ODI Comeback Route After T20I Announcement
