What changes for India?
The board announced Mandhana’s appointment on 6 October 2026. She is taking on the permanent white-ball role, not captaining India for the first time: the BCCI says she had already led the national side in 18 T20Is and four ODIs. She also captained Royal Challengers Bengaluru to Women’s Premier League titles in 2024 and 2026.
Harmanpreet has stepped down as captain, not retired as a player. In her statement released by the BCCI, she said she wants to keep representing the country and supporting the new leadership. The board’s Zimbabwe-series squad lists include her in both formats. The captaincy appointment describes Mandhana as the full-time white-ball leader; it does not announce a separate permanent Test captain.
Zimbabwe series is next
India’s T20Is against Zimbabwe are scheduled for 16, 18 and 20 October in Raipur, followed by ODIs on 23, 25 and 28 October in Vadodara. Mandhana is named captain of both squads, with Shafali Verma the T20I vice-captain and Deepti Sharma the ODI vice-captain.
These are announced squads and fixtures, not confirmed match-day playing XIs. Check the BCCI’s match information for subsequent selection or scheduling changes.
Verified sources
This story summarises named primary sources and attributable reporting; it is not original on-ground reporting. Check the linked sources for subsequent developments.