Smriti Mandhana revealed that she learned about the captaincy on the very day the official statement was released. A review meeting had taken place a day prior to the announcement, attended by Harmanpreet Kaur, Mandhana, head coach Amol Muzumdar, and senior BCCI officials. The captain shared that she, along with the coach and Kaur, discussed key tournaments and future strategies for the next two to three years. Following her appointment as a full-time captain, India’s first series will be against Zimbabwe, beginning on October 16. Ahead of the three-match T20 series, Mandhana mentioned in a press conference that the pressure of captaincy has had an impact on her batting style.
What did Smriti Mandhana say?
Smriti Mandhana, who opens the batting, is known for her explosive style of play. Will the pressure of captaincy lead to any changes in her batting approach? Addressing this, she said, "I have become a captain on the field, but that shouldn't change anything about my batting. Even in the past, whenever I went out to bat, I would keep in mind what my childhood coach told me: 'Whenever you go out to bat, think of yourself as the captain—that way, you take responsibility upon yourself.' That mindset will never change; whenever the ball is in my zone, I will hit it, and I will play in whatever manner the team requires.
Smriti Mandhana further stated, I have been part of the leadership group before, so I wouldn't say that captaincy is entirely new to me. Regarding the T20 format, she noted that the team is performing well, but added, I would like to see a 10 percent further improvement, and the girls are aware of this.
Smriti Mandhana: Player Profile
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Smriti Shriniwas Mandhana |
| Date of birth | 18 July 1996 |
| Birthplace | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Batting style | Left-handed |
| Playing role | Opening batter |
| International debut | 2013 |
| ODI debut | 10 April 2013 |
| T20I debut | 5 April 2013 |
| Test debut | 13 August 2014 |
| Jersey number | 18 |
| Domestic team | Maharashtra |
| WPL team | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| Major individual award | ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year |
Smriti Mandhana International Career Statistics
| Format | Matches | Runs | Highest Score | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 9 | 788 | 149 | 2 | 5 |
| ODI | 120 | 5,411 | 136 | 14 | 35 |
| T20I | 179 | 4,867 | 124 | 2 | 37 |
Smriti Mandhana Awards and Honors
- ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year — 2018 and 2021
- ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year — 2018 and 2024
- ICC Women's Player of the Month — June 2024 and September 2025
- Arjuna Award — 2018
- Women's Premier League champion as RCB captain — 2024 and 2026
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