From cover drives to calling the shots, Smriti Mandhana’s rise

Smriti Mandhana’s appointment as India’s 14th international Captain on October 6, 2026, marks a new chapter in her cricketing journey. Named by the Board of Control for Cricket in India after Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down, Mandhana will begin her tenure on the Zimbabwe women’s tour from October 16.

Before taking charge full-time, Mandhana captained India in four one-day internationals and 18 Twenty20 matches. India won all four ODIs under her leadership, while her T20 record includes 11 victories, six defeats and one match without a result.

At the franchise level, she has led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to two Women’s Premier League titles, becoming the first captain to win a trophy for the franchise.

Born in Mumbai on July 18, 1996, Mandhana moved with her family to Sangli, Maharashtra, when she was two. Cricket was already part of the family’s world. Her father, Shrinivas, a chemical distributor, played district-level cricket, while her elder brother, Shravan, represented Maharashtra at the Under-19 level.

Watching her brother play in junior tournaments and seeing his name in local newspapers sparked her interest in cricket. Although naturally right-handed, Mandhana copied her brother’s batting stance after watching him from behind and gradually developed into a left-handed batter.

Her talent earned her selection in the Maharashtra Under-15 team at nine, followed by a place in the state’s Under-19 team at 11.

In October 2013, Mandhana made headlines during a West Zone Under-19 tournament, scoring an unbeaten 224 off 150 balls for Maharashtra against Gujarat. The innings made her the first Indian woman to score a double century in a domestic List-A match.

Known for her calm approach and positive attitude, Mandhana will now face the added responsibility of leading India at major events. Her ability to manage team dynamics and handle pressure situations will be closely watched as she takes on the captaincy.

Mandhana has also achieved significant milestones in international cricket. During the Asian Games 2026, she surpassed former New Zealand batter Suzie Bates’ tally of 4,758 T20I runs, reaching the landmark in the third over of India’s innings.

She had also surpassed former India captain Mithali Raj’s record of 10,868 international runs across formats, crossing the 11,000-run mark to become the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket. She also emerged as the leading century-maker in the women’s international game.