Just a day after India's historic triumph at the ICC Women's World Cup, former India captain Shantha Rangaswamy has sparked an important debate about the team's leadership, suggesting that Smriti Mandhana should take over the reins from Harmanpreet Kaur. Rangaswamy believes the change, though sensitive, is necessary for the long-term development of Indian women's cricket.
In a conversation with PTI, the trailblazing cricketer and India's first-ever women's captain said it might be time for a fresh approach at the top. "It is overdue. Because Harman, as a batter and a fielder, is brilliant. Yes. But tactically, she can fumble at times. I feel she can contribute more if she is without the burden of captaincy," Rangaswamy remarked.
India, under Harmanpreet's
leadership, lifted their maiden ODI World Cup on November 2 after defeating South Africa in a commanding final performance at the DY Patil Stadium.
While praising the skipper's role in the team's success, Rangaswamy maintained that a leadership transition could serve the team's best interests moving forward, particularly with the T20 World Cup in 2026 (UK) and the next ODI World Cup in 2029 on the horizon.
"See, when it comes after a success like this (World Cup win), it will not be taken well, but in the interest of Indian cricket and in Harman's own interest, I think she can contribute much more as a batter without the burden of captaincy," she added.
Rangaswamy, who has long been an influential voice in shaping women's cricket in India, cited the men's team as an example of forward-thinking selection, pointing out how Rohit Sharma was replaced as captain despite recent success at the Champions Trophy - a move made for the greater good of Indian cricket.
The former all-rounder also offered insights into India's current strengths and weaknesses. "In our days, batting used to be the weaker link. Now batting has a settled look, but bowling is a concern. Fielding, too, can be a lot better. Australia lost only because they didn't have a good bowling attack," she said, adding that "Pakistan and Bangladesh had better bowling attacks. The batters did the job for us. "
Rangaswamy concluded that while the 2017 World Cup final appearance made women's cricket popular, the 2025 World Cup victory will ignite a new wave of participation among young girls - ensuring a bright future for the sport in India.
