Mithali Raj Takes a Dig at Harmanpreet Kaur

Harmanpreet Kaur has ended one of the most successful captaincy chapters in Indian women’s cricket, but instead of her exit being only about celebrating her achievements, a statement from former India captain Mithali Raj has created a fresh talking point.

Mithali backed India’s decision to move towards a new leadership setup and supported Smriti Mandhana as the next captain. However, one particular part of her assessment stood out.

“India needed a fresh mindset, and perhaps this leadership change could have come a little earlier.” — Mithali Raj

That comment has raised eyebrows because Harmanpreet has stepped away barely a year after taking India to a historic ODI World Cup triumph and shortly after adding another Asian Games gold medal to her captaincy record.

Mithali Raj Questions the Timing of the Change

Mithali acknowledged Harmanpreet’s contribution and described her captaincy run as remarkable. She also praised the impact Harmanpreet has made on Indian women’s cricket.

But her assessment did not stop there.

Mithali suggested that the change in leadership could have happened earlier and felt the team needed fresh ideas and a fresh mindset moving forward.

She also backed Mandhana, pointing towards her long experience as vice-captain and her understanding of the Indian setup.

On its own, this can simply be seen as a former captain giving her opinion on succession planning. But the history between Mithali and Harmanpreet makes the remark more interesting.

The 2018 Controversy Cannot Be Completely Ignored

Mithali and Harmanpreet were at the centre of one of Indian women’s cricket’s biggest controversies during the 2018 T20 World Cup.

Mithali had scored consecutive half-centuries against Pakistan and Ireland but was left out of India’s semifinal against England. India were bowled out for 112 and lost the match by eight wickets.

Harmanpreet was captain at the time and defended the decision after the defeat. The decision to leave an experienced player like Mithali out of such an important knockout match became a huge talking point and the controversy continued even after the tournament.

The episode became an unforgettable chapter involving two of the biggest names in Indian women’s cricket.

That history is why Mithali’s latest observation that the captaincy change could have happened earlier is likely to attract more attention than an ordinary comment on a leadership transition.

But Did Harmanpreet Really Stay Captain for Too Long?

This is where Mithali’s argument can be questioned.

Harmanpreet led India to their first Women’s ODI World Cup title in 2025. Winning India’s maiden 50-over World Cup was not an ordinary achievement; it was arguably the biggest milestone Indian women’s cricket had achieved.

Normally, such a historic triumph would strengthen a captain’s position rather than immediately create a need for change.

Harmanpreet did not hold on for another three or four years after that success. She continued for roughly another year, led India through another important phase and finished after another Asian Games gold medal.

There was also a sporting reason to consider a change after India’s disappointing T20 World Cup campaign. The important point, however, is that the transition has happened with enough time left for the new leadership to prepare for the next major cycle.

That makes it difficult to argue that India have been left desperately late in preparing the next captain.

Harmanpreet Leaves Behind a Historic Captaincy Record

The timing debate also needs to be viewed alongside what Harmanpreet actually achieved as captain.

She led India to their first Women’s ODI World Cup title, two Asian Games gold medals and multiple Asia Cup successes. She also led India to a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Her tenure helped change the expectations around the Indian women’s team. India were no longer judged simply on whether they could compete with the strongest sides. Winning major trophies became the expectation.

That does not mean every decision Harmanpreet made was correct or that a leadership transition was unnecessary. India’s recent T20 World Cup disappointments gave enough reason to look towards a new captaincy cycle.

But there is a major difference between saying that this was the right time for change and suggesting that the change should have happened significantly earlier.