New Delhi, Oct 2026 : India’s newly appointed women’s cricket captain Smriti Mandhana has said that taking over the full-time leadership role will not be an entirely new experience, given her nearly decade-long stint as vice-captain. The experienced left-handed batter is confident that the additional responsibility will not alter her natural batting style or approach to the game.
Mandhana was appointed captain of the Indian women’s team earlier this month, on the same day Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down from the position. The 29-year-old, who made her international debut in 2013, will now lead India in white-ball cricket as the team prepares for its upcoming assignments.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Mandhana said her experience within the leadership group had prepared her for the new responsibility.
“I have been the vice-captain for the last almost 10 years. So, I have been part of the leadership role, and I wouldn’t say it is an extremely new thing. But for sure, it is something to look forward to, and hopefully, I can do justice to the role,” she said.
Mandhana also made it clear that captaincy would not influence her approach at the crease. She intends to continue trusting her instincts, playing to her strengths and adapting her innings according to the team’s requirements.
Recalling advice from her childhood coach, she said she had been encouraged to take responsibility for her performance from an early age.
“I have become a captain on the field; there should be no changes in my batting. My coach used to tell me when I was 15 years old, ‘Whenever you bat, always think you are the captain. You always take that responsibility, and those things have never changed,’” Mandhana said.
“If the ball is in the zone, I will still go for it. I will still play whatever way the team needs me to,” she added.
The Indian captain described the upcoming bilateral series against Zimbabwe as an exciting opportunity, particularly because it will be India’s first time playing the opposition. She said the team would approach the series with an open mind and seek to learn from its opponents.
Mandhana observed that playing against Zimbabwe and other Associate nations could offer valuable lessons, especially in maintaining enjoyment and perspective in the game.
“Sometimes, we get into a lot of things professionally. You can learn a lot from them,” she said, highlighting the importance of looking beyond results and appreciating different approaches to cricket.
The series will also form part of India’s preparations for the upcoming Champions Trophy. With six T20 matches scheduled before the tournament, Mandhana said the team would use the opportunity to establish its standards, playing philosophy and expectations for the coming months.
The captaincy announcement comes after a productive period for Mandhana. She finished as the second-highest run-scorer at the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, accumulating 434 runs.
She also achieved a significant milestone in June 2025 by becoming the first Indian woman to score international centuries in all three formats, completing the feat with a T20 International hundred against England.
As she begins her tenure as captain, Mandhana will look to combine her experience as a senior player with the responsibilities of leading the team, while maintaining the aggressive and instinctive batting style that has been central to her success.
