Smriti Mandhana has long been one of India’s biggest batting pillars. Over the last few years, she has also added another dimension to her game by leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women’s Premier League. Now, the Indian vice-captain believes she is ready for the next challenge.
Asked whether she sees herself taking over the national team’s captaincy in the future, Mandhana didn’t hesitate.
“Yes, of course. I am ready,” she said.
Her comments come at a time when discussions around India’s long-term leadership continue to gather pace, with Harmanpreet Kaur leading the side but a new World Cup cycle already underway.
RCB success has strengthened her captaincy credentials
Captaining Royal Challengers Bengaluru has given Mandhana an opportunity to grow beyond her role as one of India’s premier batters.
Under her leadership, RCB lifted their maiden Women’s Premier League title in 2024 before returning to the top in 2026, establishing themselves as one of the competition’s strongest teams. More importantly, Mandhana believes captaincy begins with creating the right environment rather than making tactical decisions alone.
“For me, creating a positive team culture is most important. Every player should feel comfortable expressing themselves and being who they are. When people feel valued and trusted, they tend to perform better,” she said.
It is a philosophy that has earned her praise from teammates and strengthened her credentials as a future India captain.
Leadership goes beyond the field
Mandhana’s influence is not limited to match days. Yastika Bhatia recently revealed how Mandhana helped her through the rehabilitation process after suffering an ACL injury. Having endured a similar setback herself in 2017, Mandhana shared her own experience and encouraged Yastika to stay patient through recovery.
She explained that the injury eventually helped her become a better player and hoped the same perspective would help her teammate through a difficult period. Those conversations reflect the kind of senior figure Mandhana has become within the Indian dressing room.
A candid assessment of India’s T20 struggles
While India’s recent Test victory at Lord’s provided plenty to celebrate, Mandhana admitted the team still has lessons to learn in the shortest format.
“It’s important to introspect and learn from mistakes. Unfortunately, we haven’t learnt enough from our past errors and have continued to repeat them,” she said.
She believes India now needs a clear plan leading into the 2028 T20 World Cup instead of making changes from one tournament to the next.
“There needs to be a clear roadmap until the 2028 T20 World Cup on how we want to approach the format and what we need to do as a team.”
The WPL has expanded India’s talent pool
Mandhana also backed the Women’s Premier League as an important platform for Indian cricket. According to her, the competition has already produced several players capable of representing India, although she feels some of them have not been given clearly defined roles after reaching the national side.
“I think the WPL has produced a lot of new talent and several players have made it to the national team. However, I feel they haven’t always been utilised to their best ability,” she said.
Ready when the opportunity arrives
Mandhana’s remarks came just days after playing a major role in India’s historic victory in the first-ever women’s Test at Lord’s, where she scored 83 and 71 to help secure a memorable win over England. Her performances have rarely been in doubt. What has changed over the past few years is the experience she has gained as a leader.
Whether India’s captaincy changes in the near future remains uncertain. But whenever that conversation gathers pace, Mandhana has left little room for doubt about where she stands. If the opportunity comes, she believes she is ready.
Source: TOI
