Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues Pay Tribute to Outgoing Captain Harmanpreet Kaur

Newly appointed India women's cricket captain Smriti Mandhana and middle-order batter Jemimah Rodrigues have paid tribute to Harmanpreet Kaur after she stepped down as the team's captain across all formats.

The BCCI appointed Smriti as the new captain on Tuesday after Harmanpreet decided to relinquish the leadership role.

Harmanpreet's position came under scrutiny during a BCCI review meeting in Guwahati on Monday, after India's second consecutive group-stage exit from the T20 World Cup in England in June.

Smriti praised Harmanpreet's decade-long leadership and said she looked forward to continuing to build on the team's achievements.

"It has 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," Smriti wrote on her Instagram story.

Harmanpreet leaves the captaincy after a successful tenure that included India's gold medal triumph at the Asian Games in Japan and the team's historic maiden women's global championship title at last year's ODI World Cup. She led India in five Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is.

Jemimah also acknowledged Harmanpreet's contribution to the team, thanking her for her years of leadership.

"Congratulations on everything you've achieved. Thanks for the years of leadership and for everything you did for the team!" Jemimah posted on Instagram.

Jemimah is currently recovering from a high-grade hamstring injury suffered while playing in The Hundred in England.

Smriti's appointment as full-time captain marks a significant new phase in her international career. Since making her India debut in 2013, she has represented the country in nine Tests, 120 ODIs and 179 T20Is and has been a key part of India's batting unit alongside Harmanpreet.

She was also instrumental in India's recent Asian Games gold medal victory, scoring a match-winning 79 off 45 balls in the final against Sri Lanka in Nisshin, Japan.

Smriti will begin her tenure as India's full-time captain with the team's white-ball series against Zimbabwe, starting October 16. She also enters the role after leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru to Women's Premier League titles in 2024 and 2026.