Following India’s early exit from the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, former India captain Diana Edulji has advocated for a change in leadership for the T20 format. Edulji believes it is time to move beyond Harmanpreet Kaur as captain in T20 cricket, suggesting a need for fresh ideas and strategies.
India failed to advance past the group stage in the recent tournament in England, marking their second consecutive early exit from a T20 World Cup under Harmanpreet’s captaincy. The team’s elimination was sealed after a loss to Australia in their final league game at Lord’s, following an earlier defeat to South Africa at Old Trafford in Manchester.
Calls for T20 specialisation
Edulji has emphasized the importance of developing separate teams for different formats of the game, particularly for T20 cricket. She stated that not all players can perform optimally across all formats, suggesting that playing in all formats can be taxing and affect player fitness and fielding. Edulji proposed identifying specialist T20 players and training them at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence.
She also recommended considering different coaches for One Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20Is, in addition to separate captains. Edulji highlighted the need for a new approach to improve India’s women’s cricket, drawing a parallel to the bold decision made in 2007 when MS Dhoni was appointed captain for the inaugural T20 World Cup.
Edulji mentioned players like Bharti Fulmali and Richa Ghosh as examples of individuals who could be trained specifically for T20 cricket. She pointed out that such specialisation is common in men’s cricket and could be similarly implemented in the women’s game.
Despite her admiration for Harmanpreet as a player, Edulji feels that the captaincy pressure might be impacting her natural, attacking style of play. She believes that Harmanpreet has ‘stagnated’ in her role as captain and suggested she continue as a player while a new captain takes over for T20Is.
The former India left-arm spinner also stressed the need for top Indian players to participate in domestic cricket, similar to the mandate for men’s cricket. She argued that this would benefit young women cricketers by allowing them to play alongside experienced players. Edulji also suggested that the Women’s Premier League (WPL) should consider increasing boundary sizes to align with international women’s cricket standards.
Edulji also highlighted areas for fundamental improvement, such as dedicated camps for fielding, catching, bowling, and batting. She noted the current lack of depth in wicketkeepers, citing Yastika Bhatia‘s inconsistent fitness and limited contribution in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Looking ahead for Indian women’s cricket
While the selectors have retained Harmanpreet as captain for the Asian Games in Japan in September, Edulji’s comments underscore a growing sentiment for strategic changes within the team. The head coach, Amol Muzumdar, had previously expressed his desire for Harmanpreet to continue as skipper, stating that the decision ultimately rests with the selectors.
Edulji’s suggestions also include finding a successor for legendary fast bowler Jhulan Goswami, emphasizing the need for rigorous training for pacers to ensure they can bowl their full quota of overs. She believes that addressing these foundational aspects is crucial for India to recover from recent setbacks in international tournaments.
Edulji also touched upon the age factor and future planning, noting that Harmanpreet will be approaching 40 by the time of the 2029 Women’s ODI World Cup. However, she believes Harmanpreet deserves one more opportunity to lead the team in the ODI format as defending champions.
The discussion around captaincy and team structure comes after India’s loss to Australia by six wickets and to South Africa by the same margin in the T20 World Cup.
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Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Priya Nair
Sports Reporter
