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Smriti Mandhana posts special Instagram story for Harmanpreet Kaur amid rift rumours

Indian women’s cricket witnessed a moment of unity as Smriti Mandhana publicly honored Harmanpreet Kaur following the latter’s decision to step down as captain across all formats after a decade-long leadership tenure. Mandhana, named as Kaur’s successor, used her Instagram story to acknowledge Kaur’s legacy, emphasizing their shared history and the team’s future ambitions.

Kaur’s captaincy spanned from a stand-in role in 2012 to full-time leadership in T20Is (2016) and ODIs (2022), culminating in India’s 2025 ODI World Cup title and the 2026 Asian Games gold medal. Despite prior reports of tensions between the two, Mandhana’s message underscored mutual respect, contrasting with earlier claims of an uneasy dressing-room dynamic.

Mandhana, a top-order batter with leadership experience in the WPL, had previously expressed readiness for a greater role, while India’s recent early exits in the 2024 and 2026 T20 World Cups had raised questions about the team’s direction under Kaur’s final years as captain.

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