India cricket – Smriti Mandhana may be a new captain but she is a proven leader – USFTB

Over the years, Mandhana has answered some of these questions in her other leadership roles. Before the start of WPL 2026, RCB needed to find a replacement quickly for Ellyse Perry, who had made herself unavailable at short notice. Conventional wisdom would have been to bring in another gun overseas allrounder.

Instead, Mandhana wanted the team management to pick the unheralded Sayali Satghare, who had gone unsold at the auction. She preferred to have a bowler she could call on regularly rather than have an overseas player on the bench. Satghare went on to have an excellent run – nine wickets in six games with an economy rate of 8.75 – in RCB’s title-winning season.

Mandhana was also vocal about maximising the batting potential of Radha Yadav, who until then was viewed as a left-arm spinner and gun fielder. Before 2026, her highest WPL score was 27.

Mandhana, however, had seen enough of Radha in domestic cricket to believe she could bat at No. 6 and RCB hired a ground in Mumbai where she worked on her range-hitting. In the WPL 2026 final, Radha scored an unbeaten 12 off 5 balls to help RCB chase down 204 with two deliveries to spare.

While these moves may not seem particularly out-of-the-box in today’s age of scouting, Mandhana has frequently been at the centre of such decisions over the years.

In 2023, after a poor inaugural WPL where she failed to score a half-century and RCB finished fourth out of five teams, Mandhana gave up a lucrative Women’s Big Bash deal to make herself available for the Indian domestic season. She wanted to be in the best position to judge local talent, instead of relying on second-hand information.

That decision told you of a captain willing to do whatever it took to deliver results. Mandhana will know that such expectations as India captain – given the scheduling – could be difficult, and that the dynamics at RCB – where she is the boss – are extremely different to those within the Indian team. For starters, there is a selection panel that she will need to develop a relationship with, but this is where being acquainted with domestic cricket and talent helps bridge gaps.

Another challenge Mandhana will need to address is creating an environment where Harmanpreet can thrive. Former captains can struggle in set-ups where they are no longer the principal decision-maker but those who have worked with Mandhana in the Indian team and the WPL vouch for her interpersonal skills.

Youngsters have spoken glowingly about Mandhana as a people person. Shreyanka Patil, for example, confided in her prior to WPL 2024 that she was at her lowest ebb. Certain run-ins with the Karnataka State Cricket Association had led to her being left out of her state side. Mandhana motivated Shreyanka by reminding her that she had plenty to give to RCB and backed her to be a key player. Shreyanka won the Purple Cap (most wickets in the season) during RCB’s title-winning run that year.

Mandhana also urged legspinner Asha Sobhana to dream bigger instead of being content with playing in the WPL. A few months after RCB’s triumph in 2024, in which Sobhana took 12 wickets, she became one of India’s oldest debutants. Mandhana handed her the India cap.

Similarly, Mandhana backed a young Pratika Rawal for ODIs amid criticism from certain quarters over her strike rate. During India’s successful 2025 World Cup campaign, she insulated young Rawal from such pressure by taking more risks in the powerplay, giving her partner time to play herself in.

For all their recent success, including the Asia Cup and Asian Games titles, India’s T20 game is considered slightly behind the curve, especially since they have not beaten any of the SENA countries at a T20 World Cup after 2020. Mandhana has to be the driver of this change, the first step being role clarity that India have often lacked in big tournaments – most notably with the No. 3 spot.

A home series against Zimbabwe is likely to be a smooth take-off for Mandhana as captain ahead of bigger challenges. Mandhana’s immaculate preparation and readiness to embrace change – like her fitness transformation prior to the 2025 World Cup – will be key as India prepare for next year’s Champions Trophy, the 2028 T20 World Cup, and the Los Angeles Olympics.