Smriti Mandhana has revealed how her coach taught her to bat with the mindset of a captain when she was just 15 years old. The Indian women’s cricket team captain believes that taking responsibility for an innings has always been an important part of her batting.

Smriti said, “Becoming captain on the field won’t change how I bat. Ever since I was 15 years old, my coach told me to bat with the mindset of a captain, taking full responsibility for the innings. That principle stays the same.”

The left-handed opener explained that her approach will depend on the team’s needs and the situation of the match. She will continue to play her natural game while making decisions that help India to win games.

Mandhana’s comments came after she was appointed India’s new captain across formats on October 6, 2026. She took over the responsibility from Harmanpreet Kaur, who stepped down from the captaincy but remains part of the team as a senior player.

The 29-year-old batter has already gained leadership experience. She has previously captained India in 18 T20 Internationals and four One-Day Internationals. She also led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to two Women’s Premier League titles.

Mandhana recently became the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket, moving past former India captain Mithali Raj. She has also scored 18 international centuries across formats, highlighting her consistency at the highest level.

Smriti Mandhana’s Next Match

Mandhana’s first assignment as India’s full-time captain will be the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. The first T20I will take place on October 16, 2026, at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur. The match is scheduled to start at 7:00 PM.

The second and third T20Is will be played on October 18 and 20, respectively. India will then face Zimbabwe in a three-match ODI series in Vadodara on October 23, 25 and 28.

The upcoming series will be an important opportunity for Mandhana to establish her captaincy style. India will aim to maintain its strong performances while improving in key areas, particularly in T20 cricket.

With the Women’s Champions Trophy scheduled for 2027, Mandhana will look to build a competitive team and lead from the front with both bat and captaincy.

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