Following India's historic victory at the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025, former Indian captain Shantha Rangaswamy has ignited a debate by suggesting a change in leadership, advocating for Smriti Mandhana to take over the captaincy from Harmanpreet Kaur. Rangaswamy believes that this transition is "overdue" and would ultimately benefit both Indian cricket and Harmanpreet Kaur herself.
Rangaswamy's rationale centers on the idea that relinquishing the captaincy would allow the 36-year-old Harmanpreet to focus on her strengths as a batter and fielder. While acknowledging Harmanpreet's brilliance in these aspects, Rangaswamy pointed out that her tactical decision-making can sometimes falter. By relieving her of the burden of captaincy, Rangaswamy argues, Harmanpreet can contribute even more significantly to the team.
"It's overdue. Because Harman, as a batter and a fielder, is brilliant. Yes. But tactically, she can fumble at times," Rangaswamy told PTI. "I feel she can contribute more if she's without the burden of captaincy".
Rangaswamy further emphasized the importance of planning for the future, with the next ODI World Cup scheduled in 2029 and the T20 World Cup in the UK next year. She believes that appointing Smriti Mandhana, 29, as captain across all formats would be a strategic move in this direction. Mandhana is currently the vice-captain of the team. Rangaswamy stated, "Smriti should be made captain across formats. You need to plan for future World Cups also".
Rangaswamy also drew parallels to the BCCI's decision to remove Rohit Sharma from captaincy after the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 triumph, suggesting that Harmanpreet Kaur should receive similar treatment.
The proposal comes at a time when Harmanpreet Kaur's leadership has delivered unprecedented success, with India winning its first-ever Women's World Cup under her captaincy. The Women in Blue had previously suffered heartbreaks in the 2005 and 2017 ODI World Cup finals but finally lifted the trophy in their third attempt. Following the win, the BCCI honored the team's achievement by announcing prize money of INR 51 Crore.
The decision to potentially remove Harmanpreet from captaincy, especially after such a significant victory, may not be well-received initially. However, Rangaswamy contends that it is in the best interest of Indian cricket and Harmanpreet herself in the long run. She believes that Harmanpreet still has three to four years of "big-time cricket" left in her, and not being captain would allow her to focus on her individual performance and contribute more effectively.
While Harmanpreet Kaur did sit out a match against Nepal in the 2024 Women's Asia Cup, with Smriti Mandhana taking over as captain, that decision was strategic, aimed at resting key players and providing opportunities for newcomers. The current situation, however, involves a longer-term perspective on the team's leadership.
