New Delhi: After Harmanpreet Kaur left the captaincy, it was considered almost certain to hand over the command of the Indian women’s cricket team to Smriti Mandhana. The 30-year-old left-handed batsman has been one of the most reliable players of the team for a long time and now she has also got the responsibility of leadership. However, along with getting the captaincy, the question is also being raised whether Mandhana should have gotten this opportunity a few years ago.
Why did Harmanpreet leave the captaincy?
Harmanpreet Kaur decided to step down from captaincy in all formats after a review meeting with BCCI. 37-year-old Harmanpreet took over the captaincy of the Indian team for the first time in 2016 and under her leadership the team achieved many important achievements. Recently she won India the gold medal for the second consecutive time in the Asian Games. With this her captaincy tenure ended with a big achievement.
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Why were questions raised on the relationship between Harmanpreet & Mandhana?
Along with the change of captaincy, the situation of the team’s dressing room is also in discussion. Reports claimed that there were differences of opinion between Harmanpreet and Mandhana regarding captaincy for some time. However, these claims have not been independently confirmed. Harmanpreet will now remain with the team as a player, so better coordination between the two will be important for the Indian team.
When was Mandhana a contender for captaincy?
Smriti Mandhana made her debut in international cricket in 2013. After this she became the leading batsman of the Indian team. Mandhana, who has scored more than 10 thousand runs in all three formats, was being seen as the future captain for a long time. Along with aggression and consistency in her batting, Power Game has also been seen in recent years.
Should the change in captaincy have happened earlier?
Last year, India ended the long wait for the ICC trophy by winning the ODI World Cup on home soil. Despite this, there was no immediate change in captaincy. After this, questions were raised about leadership after India’s early exit in two consecutive T20 World Cups. Former Indian captain Mithali Raj had also said that Mandhana should have been given the captaincy two-three years ago.
What will be the biggest challenge before Mandhana?
After assuming the captaincy, Mandhana will have the responsibility of both batting and leadership. India has performed well in the recent Asia Cup and Asian Games. In such a situation, the team will be expected to perform better continuously in ICC tournaments from the new captain. Besides, giving the right role to an experienced player like Harmanpreet in the team will also be a big test of Mandhana’s leadership ability.
