The Smriti Mandhana era begins: India's new captain trains in Raipur in the form of her life
Three days before the first T20I against Zimbabwe, Mandhana held her first training session as India's full-time captain. She arrives with 765 T20I runs this year at a strike rate of 148 and an Asian Games gold, and with some big calls to make.
The Smriti Mandhana era has started in Raipur. India's new captain held her first training session in charge on Monday, three days before the first T20I against Zimbabwe at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium on Friday, 16 October. The BCCI shared a video of her batting in the nets.
It is only a week since Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down after leading India to a second Asian Games gold. Mandhana now takes over a side that has just won a final by 147 runs, with her predecessor still in the dressing room as a batter.
Mandhana's form: the best of her career
Mandhana could hardly come into the job in better touch. In 2026 alone she has made 765 T20I runs in 22 matches, at an average of 38.25 and a strike rate of 148.25, with a top score of 124. In the Asian Games final against Sri Lanka she top-scored with 79 off 45 balls.
- T20I runs in 2026: 765 in 21 innings
- Strike rate in 2026: 148.25
- Career T20I runs: 4,867, the most in women's T20Is
- International centuries: 18, level with Laura Wolvaardt for the most by any woman
- International runs: 11,066, the most by any woman
Her record as captain so far
This is her first series as full-time captain, but not her first time in charge. As Harmanpreet's deputy, Mandhana led India in 18 T20Is for 11 wins, six defeats and one no-result, and won all four ODIs she captained. She also led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to two WPL titles, in 2024 and 2026.
The difference now is that the team is hers. Selection, the batting order and the tone of the side are her calls, made alongside the head coach and the selectors.
Three big calls for the first T20I
- Niki Prasad: the 20-year-old Karnataka batter earned her first India call-up with 91, 76 and 54 not out for India A against Australia A. With Jemimah Rodrigues out with a hamstring injury, there is a middle-order place open.
- Where Harmanpreet bats: India's former captain is now one of Mandhana's batters. How Mandhana uses her in the middle overs will be one of the first signs of her own style.
- The bowling attack: Renuka Singh Thakur, Shreyanka Patil and Radha Yadav were all left out of the T20I squad after the Asian Games, so Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy and Sree Charani are likely to carry more of the load.
Zimbabwe: a first-ever meeting
Zimbabwe arrived in Raipur on Monday and train at the stadium on Tuesday. The two sides have never played each other in women's international cricket. Josephine Nkomo's side lost their three recent T20Is to West Indies but beat them in an ODI in Harare, and they bring the same 15 players to India.
Raipur gets its matches
The series nearly had a venue problem. In July the National Green Tribunal barred sports events without permission at three stadiums, including Raipur's, before modifying its order to allow these three internationals. Tickets are on sale online, and all three T20Is start at 7 PM IST on 16, 18 and 20 October, live on the Star Sports Network and JioHotstar.
For the full schedule, squads and the ODI leg in Vadodara, see our series guide, and follow the live score on TryBall from the toss on Friday.