Former India captain Diana Edulji has called for Smriti Mandhana to take over the national captaincy, saying the team has held her back for too long.
Edulji’s case
Her comments come as India get ready for the 2026 Women’s Asian Games, where Harmanpreet Kaur remains captain. India face Japan in the quarter-final on September 18.
Edulji believes Mandhana should be given a sustained spell in charge before the next ODI World Cup, noting that Harmanpreet will be close to 40 by then. She wants younger players groomed for leadership as well, and named Jemimah Rodrigues or Shafali Verma as vice-captain options who could be trained for bigger responsibility.
Mandhana’s form
Mandhana has been one of India’s key performers in recent years. At the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup she made 124 against Hong Kong in Dubai. It was her second T20I hundred, making her the first Indian woman to score more than one century in the format.
Harmanpreet remains captain and has played a big part in India’s recent success. The Asian Games will give the team another chance to compete under her leadership, while Edulji’s remarks have put succession planning in Indian women’s cricket into focus.
