Three Players Who Can Replace Harmanpreet Kaur As India's Next Captain

Following India's T20 World Cup exit, discussions have started around Harmanpreet Kaur's future. Here are three players who could become India's next women's captain.

The Indian women's team is out of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026.

Source : X

Show Quick Read

Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Jemimah Rodrigues, a young batter, shows promising future leadership potential.

Harmanpreet Kaur has been one of the most successful captains in the history of Indian women's cricket. Under her leadership, India have achieved several memorable milestones and continued to establish themselves as one of the strongest teams in world cricket. 

While Harmanpreet has been widely appreciated as a captain, the team management may also begin planning for the future. If that happens, here are three players who could potentially replace her as India's next captain.

Three Players Who Can Become Captain

1. Smriti Mandhana

Current vice-captain Smriti Mandhana is one of the strongest contenders to become the next captain of the Indian women's cricket team. She has already led India on multiple occasions in Harmanpreet Kaur's absence and has experience of handling the team at the highest level.

Mandhana also captains Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women's Premier League. She guided the franchise to its maiden WPL title, further proving her leadership abilities. At just 29 years of age, she has already played more than 300 international matches across formats. She also holds the record of winning all four ODIs she has captained for India (as per the latest official records), making her one of the frontrunners for the role.

2. Deepti Sharma

Another strong candidate is Deepti Sharma, who has established herself as one of India's most dependable all-rounders. Apart from her batting, Deepti has consistently delivered with the ball and is known for her calm temperament and tactical awareness.

She is among the leading wicket-takers in women's international cricket and has registered 200+ international wickets along with 4,000+ international runs. Her ability to contribute in every department of the game and perform under pressure makes her a balanced leader and a strong captaincy option.

3. Jemimah Rodrigues

Jemimah Rodrigues is another player who could be considered for the captaincy in the future. One of India's most reliable middle-order batters, Jemimah has already shown her leadership skills in domestic cricket and the Women's Premier League.

She has captained Delhi Capitals Women in the WPL and has also served as captain and vice-captain in domestic cricket. Her energetic personality, excellent communication skills and modern approach to leadership make her a promising long-term option.

At just 25 years of age, Jemimah still has several years of cricket ahead of her. If the selectors decide to invest in a young leader for the future, she could emerge as one of the strongest candidates to lead the Indian women's cricket team.