Photo via Hindustan Times

Smriti Mandhana takes over from Harmanpreet Kaur as India's captain, tenure to begin with Zimbabwe series

Smriti Mandhana has been named the new captain of the Indian women's cricket team, taking over from Harmanpreet Kaur, whose leadership role across all formats has ended. The decision was finalized during a Women's Selection Committee meeting in Guwahati, where Mandhana was chosen as the natural successor, having previously served as Kaur’s deputy for an extended period.

Mandhana, a record-breaking batter and two-time Women’s Premier League champion with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, brings extensive experience to the role, including being the highest run-scorer and leading centurion in women’s international cricket. She also recently surpassed Harmanpreet as the leading run-getter in T20 Internationals, a format where India’s recent results under Kaur had struggled to match their 2022 ODI World Cup triumph.

Mandhana’s first major assignment as captain will be leading India in the upcoming Zimbabwe series, featuring three T20Is in Raipur and three ODIs in Vadodara, beginning October 16. Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma have been appointed as her vice-captains in T20Is and ODIs, respectively.

The team’s next challenge includes the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy, set to be hosted in India early next year, where Mandhana will aim to replicate her domestic T20 success at the international level.

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