Smriti Mandhana Opens Up on India Captaincy

In the midst of leadership changes, Smriti Mandhana reacted affirmatively when asked if she would be willing to take on the job of captain for the Indian women’s cricket team in all formats. In a recent interview, the vice captain expressed her steadfast willingness to take on the post whenever the opportunity arises.

Smriti Mandhana starred in the first women’s Test at Lord’s, scoring 83 in India’s first innings and 70 in the second, helping the team win by 270 runs—India’s fourth-largest margin of victory in women’s Tests.

At 29, she became the youngest woman in cricket history to play 300 international matches. When asked about her preparation for captaincy, Mandhana stated, “I’m ready.”

She emphasised the need of fostering a positive team culture. Every gamer should feel free to express themselves and be who they are. “When people feel valued and trusted, they perform better,” she said, articulating her clear leadership philosophy.

What is contained in Smriti Mandhana’s leadership style?

The RCB captain’s worldview has been shaped by her league leadership experience, which saw her team win the WPL in 2024 and 2026. Smriti Mandhana discussed India’s recent T20 tournament defeats, emphasising the importance of introspection and learning from past mistakes.

Unfortunately, we have not learned enough from our previous mistakes and have continued to make them. Going forward, we need a clear plan till the 2028 T20 World Cup for how we want to approach the format and what we need to achieve as a squad,” she said.

The Asian Games 2026 cricket calendar was published, with women’s matches set to take place in Japan from September 17 to 22. This will be the Indian women’s next opportunity to shine on the continental stage following their Lord’s victory

. Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the Indian contingent as the wrecker-in-chief, with Smriti acting as vice-captain.