Mandhana has taken over as India's full-time all-format captain following the resignation of Harmanpreet Kaur.
The India women's cricket team is all set to face Zimbabwe in six white-ball matches, starting October 16 in Raipur. The series marks the beginning of the leadership era for Smriti Mandhana.
Earlier this month, Mandhana was named India’s all-format captain, succeeding Harmanpreet Kaur, who stepped down after nearly 10 years in the role.
Having already led India in 18 T20Is and 4 ODIs as a stand-in skipper, Mandhana is well-accustomed to the pressures of international captaincy. Outside of the national setup, her leadership credentials are stellar, notably having guided Royal Challengers Bengaluru to two Women's Premier League (WPL) titles.
Ahead of the first T20I against Zimbabwe, BCCI Women posted a video on X, in which Mandhana explained how her understanding of leadership has evolved over the years.
The southpaw believes a leader's core responsibility is to step back and support the squad, ensuring she is always available to help the players and make critical on-field decisions.
She also recognizes that every player approaches the game differently and aims to let teammates grow in their own roles and learn from experience.
“As a leader, even though you're first on the list, in a way, you're always last. Whatever the people or players need, you're the one who's always there to help them out, make those calls on the field and be there for everyone,” Mandhana said.
“I understand the players a lot better now than I did some years ago. Earlier, I used to think that everyone approached the game and thought about it the same way I did. Of course, you eventually realise that everyone has a different intent and a different way of doing things.
“You have to let them grow in their own roles, make their own mistakes and understand how and where to get the best out of the team, as well as when and what to say. All of these things have definitely changed me a lot,” she added.
Mandhana credited the WPL with helping her grow as a leader, specifically noting how captaining RCB taught her to build a team, plan for auctions, identify key player roles, and maintain a clear vision.
“The WPL has played a huge role in helping me grow as a leader. It has taught me how to build a team, plan for auctions and identify the kind of players we need and the brand of cricket we want to play in the following season. I feel the WPL has taught me the importance of having a clear vision and sticking to it, while making players believe that they can win any match on their own. Of course, I will take all that experience into building this team as well,” she stated.
Mandhana envisions her role as a "player's captain," creating an environment where team members feel supported yet empowered to make decisions and grow into leaders themselves
“I'm a fairly calm person. When needed, I can put my arm around someone's shoulder, but there are also times when I need to tell players how they can improve, and I've done that in my own way. I like to approach things calmly, but it also depends on the game. Some matches go down to the wire, and you have to step up. I would say I'm a player's captain, someone who wants everyone in the team to take on a leadership role,” she said.
Mandhana explicitly motioned professionalism as her foundational pillar. By focusing on a specific, non-negotiable standard—covering everything from daily training to long-term recovery—she sets clear, measurable expectations for everyone.
“The first thing I would want to establish as a leader is a high level of professionalism in how we approach everything, from training and recovery to how we take things forward. That's the biggest thing I want to build a culture around.
“You take up this role to create a culture that is firmly established by the time you leave. I wouldn't say that the culture isn't already there; it is. I just need to fine-tune things and make it a well-oiled machine as a whole,” she remarked.
Smriti Mandhana also emphasized her vision of balancing ambitious, long-term aspirations—like leading India to the No. 1 ranking across all formats and winning World Cups—with a practical, day-to-day focus on gradual team improvement rather than obsessing over the final results.
“Of course, the long-term goal is to win World Cups, win major championships and become the No. 1 team in all formats. We've been ranked No. 3 for the last four or five years, which shows how far we've come from where we used to be. But ultimately, when you finish your career, you want to leave India at the top of the rankings,” Mandhana said.
“Those are all long-term goals, but I'm not someone who wants to put that kind of pressure on myself right now. I would rather focus on making smaller changes to the team in my own way, which I believe will eventually take us towards that goal, rather than constantly thinking about the end result,” she concluded.