India might still be coming to terms with its first ICC Women's World Cup victory, but former skipper Shantha Rangaswamy believes this is just the right time for a full-time change in leadership. Speaking to PTI, Rangaswamy advocated that the captaincy mantle should change hands from Harmanpreet Kaur to Smriti Mandhana for the betterment of the team in the long run, and also for Harmanpreet Kaur herself.
“It’s overdue. Because Harman, as a batter and a fielder, is brilliant. Yes. But tactically, she can fumble at times. I feel she can contribute more if she’s without the burden of captaincy,” Rangaswamy said.
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Rangaswamy asserted that the decision should be guided by future objectives rather than short-term successes. Looking ahead to the 2029 ODI World Cup and the T20 World Cup in the UK next year, she noted that India needs to move in that direction, setting a foundation for long-term success.
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“Smriti should be made captain across formats. You need to plan for future World Cups also,”
“See, when it comes after a success like this, it will be taken well, but in the interest of Indian cricket and in Harman’s own interest, I think she can contribute much more as a batter without the burden of consistency,” she added.
According to Rangaswamy, time away from captaincy will also let her focus on playing better since three four years of big cricket are still left.
“She still has three-four years of big-time cricket left. Not being captain would allow her to do that,”
“Ten years down the line, you see the massive impact of this win. This will inspire millions to take up the sport,” she said