Diana Edulji wants Harmanpreet Kaur removed before Asian Games

Former India women's captain Diana Edulji has urged the BCCI to remove Harmanpreet Kaur as captain ahead of the 2026 Asian Games. Her comments came after India's early exit from the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026. Edulji believes the team now needs a new leadership approach to improve its performances.

Speaking at the Maharani Trophy KSCA T20 trophy unveiling ceremony in Bengaluru, Edulji said the pressure of captaincy has affected Harmanpreet's batting. She added that Harmanpreet has led the team for a long time and should now be relieved of the responsibility. Edulji also suggested that India should have different captains for all three formats instead of one captain leading every format.

The 2026 Asian Games will be held in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. With the tournament approaching, Edulji believes the BCCI should make leadership changes soon so the Indian women's team can prepare with a fresh captaincy structure.

Why Diana Edulji wants Harmanpreet Kaur removed as Captain

Former India captain Diana Edulji has called for Harmanpreet Kaur to be removed as India's captain before the 2026 Asian Games. Speaking during the inauguration of the KSCA's Maharani T20 tournament in Bengaluru, Edulji said the pressure of captaincy has affected Harmanpreet's batting form. She also urged the BCCI to introduce separate captains for different formats.

Edulji's comments came after India's disappointing campaign at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026. Although India recently defeated England in the Lord's Test, the team's first-round exit from the T20 World Cup has raised fresh questions over Harmanpreet's leadership. India's defeat to Australia in a must-win match ended their hopes of reaching the semi-finals.

Edulji said Harmanpreet was once one of India's best all-rounders, but her performances have declined in recent years. She believes Harmanpreet has focused more on batting, yet her batting has also lost its impact. According to Edulji, relieving Harmanpreet of the captaincy could help her regain her best form while allowing the team to move forward with a new leadership structure.

What Edulji Said about Harmanpreet's "Stagnated" leadership

Diana Edulji believes Harmanpreet Kaur should be relieved of the captaincy so she can focus on her batting. She said, “I believe Harmanpreet is finding it difficult as captain. Her game is getting affected, so let her have a free hand as a batter. I believe it’s been too long; we need to allow younger players to lead.” Edulji added that India's women's team now needs a change in leadership.

Edulji also supported a split-captaincy model and separate coaching staff for each format. She said, “I recommend a split captaincy. Even a system with three different coaches would benefit us. It’s very important to bring in fresh ideas and get out of our comfort zone.” According to her, different leaders and coaches would help the team improve across all formats.

When asked about future captains, Edulji named Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma as strong candidates. She said, “We definitely have talent, namely Smriti and Shafali. We need to train these cricketers to lead moving forward.” Former captain Mithali Raj has also backed Shafali Verma as a future leader, while suggesting that India should prepare young players for captaincy.

BCCI's response and what this means for the Asian Games squad

Edulji's comments came after India's disappointing group-stage exit at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026. She believes the team needs fresh ideas and a new leadership approach before the 2026 Asian Games. However, Harmanpreet Kaur has already led India to the 2025 Women's World Cup title and the recent Test victory over England at Lord's, and there is no indication that she plans to step down.

Meanwhile, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana recently said she is "absolutely ready" to take over the captaincy if needed. Despite the calls for a leadership change, the BCCI has shown its faith in Harmanpreet by naming her captain of India's squad for the 2026 Asian Games. India will enter the tournament as the defending gold medallists.

India's squad for the 2026 Asian Games :

Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, G. Kamalini, Bharti Fulmali, Sree Charani, Renuka Thakur, Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil (subject to fitness clearance), Radha Yadav, and Nandni Sharma.