Unrest and internal division have surfaced within the Indian women’s cricket dressing room following Harmanpreet Kaur’s resignation from captaincy and the subsequent appointment of Smriti Mandhana as all-format leader.
According to insider sources within the squad, the relationship between the 30-year-old newly appointed captain Mandhana and her predecessor Harmanpreet has steadily deteriorated over recent months, leading to stark differences of opinion and a palpable chill in the dressing room environment. Harmanpreet, 37, stepped down following a high-level review meeting with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday, concluding a decade-long managerial era marked by an ODI World Cup title and consecutive Asian Games gold medals. Former captain Mithali Raj had previously remarked that the leadership transition should have occurred two to three years ago when Harmanpreet’s form and fitness first faced scrutiny. With Harmanpreet intent on continuing her active playing career for another two to three years, cricket analysts note that both Mandhana and the veteran batter must mend their personal rift to safeguard team cohesion ahead of upcoming bilateral fixtures.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by Sports Desk • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
