Last Updated on 2 hours ago by Charbel Coorey
Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down from her role as captain in all formats. The decision came hours after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday held a review meeting of the Indian women’s team in Guwahati.
Vice captain Smriti Mandhana, head coach Amol Muzumdar and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia were also present at the meeting. The meeting came amid calls for Harmanpreet to be sacked as captain.
With the Indian women’s team in good form in recent times, discussions were bound to be about the way forward. However, it is learnt that Harmanpreet’s future as captain and the future of head coach Amol Muzumdar were the main points discussed during the meeting.
Hours after the meeting, Harmanpreet announced her resignation as India captain.
Former India captain Diana Edulji, who had been calling for Harmanpreet’s resignation, welcomed the decision, “It’s a good decision she has taken in the interest of the future of women cricket, giving enough time to the new captain and team to gel under her captaincy. As Mr. Gavaskar has always said, people should ask why, not why not. I wish her all the best for the future. She has a few years left, no matter what format she plays in. She should enjoy the rest of her career,” Edulji told Cricbuzz.
Harmanpreet Kaur: “I have given everything I had to this team and to Indian women’s cricket.”
Harmanpreet Kaur announced on Instagram that she was quitting the captaincy.
“I am retiring as captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team in all formats today,” she wrote in an emotional post on Instagram.
“It is not an easy choice. It contains years of memories, feelings, sacrifices and moments that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
“I have given everything that I had to this team and to Indian women’s cricket. My blood, my sweat, my time and many times a part of my own game and personal ambitions. There were times when I had to put my individual performance, my own development and what I wanted for myself aside because I believed the team had to come first,” she added.
However, Harmanpreet also mentioned she still has plenty to offer as a player. The 37-year-old believes she is leaving the captaincy with a sense of peace, feeling the Indian side was in good shape going forward.
“Captaincy might finish today, but my love for Indian cricket will never finish. Blood. – Sweat. Vow. Hubris. I did my best. I love the game so now I’m ready to play again. Captaincy ends. The journey goes on,” she said again.
“I leave the captaincy today with a heart full of emotions but also with peace. Because I honestly think my team is in a good place. A talented team with character, belief & a future that I am so excited to watch & be a part of.”
Smriti Mandhana is set to take the baton forward from Harmanpreet, as she is most likely to be the new captain of the women’s side. The BCCI is expected to issue an official press release about this transition of leadership very soon.
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