Former India captain Anjum Chopra believes Harmanpreet Kaur’s greatest legacy as India’s women’s cricket captain will be leading the team to its maiden Women’s ODI World Cup title in 2025. Reflecting on Harmanpreet’s decision to step down from captaincy across formats after nearly a decade, Chopra said the team had become stronger, more experienced and more confident under her leadership. She also credited the outgoing captain with bringing greater aggression and self-belief into the dressing room, qualities she believes will continue to benefit Indian cricket.

Speaking to IANS, Chopra emphasised that India’s World Cup triumph was the result of collective contributions rather than the efforts of one individual. She praised Harmanpreet’s batting performances throughout the tournament, including the league stage, semifinal and final, while noting how the team developed into a title-winning unit. Chopra added that Harmanpreet had grown alongside the squad, particularly after taking charge of the ODI team, and had helped establish India as world champions in the format.

Chopra, who first met Harmanpreet at a training camp in 2008, said the cricketer’s personality had remained remarkably consistent despite the significant changes in women’s cricket. Having followed her journey from her international debut to her years as captain, Chopra described her as composed but demanding on the field. She noted that Harmanpreet was quick to correct mistakes while also being among the first to appreciate a teammate’s good performance. According to Chopra, this balance between accountability and encouragement became an important part of her leadership.

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Addressing India’s previous disappointments at major tournaments, Chopra pointed to the team’s near misses in the 2017 ODI World Cup, the 2023 ODI World Cup semifinal and other global competitions before the 2025 breakthrough. She argued that the eventual triumph reflected years of accumulated experience among players such as Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma and Jemimah Rodrigues. Chopra also rejected the suggestion that India’s exits from the 2024 and 2026 Women’s T20 World Cups were primarily captaincy failures. Instead, she highlighted concerns about batting strategies, preparation and the team’s limited bowling depth.

Chopra argued that individual players and the team management must take responsibility for developing an effective approach in T20 cricket. She questioned why Indian batters capable of scoring heavily in franchise competitions sometimes struggled to reproduce the same attacking approach at international tournaments. She maintained that changing the captain alone would not guarantee ICC titles, adding that tactical execution, confidence and preparation were equally important. In her assessment, India needed to strengthen its bowling options while ensuring that its batting approach matched the demands of modern T20 cricket.

Reflecting on Harmanpreet’s use of the word “sacrifice” in her resignation announcement, Chopra explained that captaincy often requires players to place the team’s needs above personal preferences. Decisions about batting positions, bowling responsibilities, team selection and individual roles can demand considerable emotional and physical energy. She described leadership as a demanding responsibility that becomes fully understandable only after a player occupies the position. With Smriti Mandhana named as Harmanpreet’s successor, Chopra expressed hope that the team would preserve the confidence, discipline and collective spirit developed during the outgoing captain’s tenure.

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