Smriti Mandhana revealed that she learned about her appointment as India’s full-time captain on the very day the official announcement was made. A review meeting had been held a day earlier, attended by Harmanpreet Kaur, Mandhana, head coach Amol Muzumdar and senior BCCI officials.

During the meeting, they discussed India’s major tournaments over the next two to three years and outlined the team’s future plans.

Smriti Mandhana's first assignment as full-time captain will be India’s three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, starting October 16. Ahead of the series, the opening batter addressed a press conference and made it clear that taking on the leadership role would not change her natural approach to batting.

What Smriti Mandhana Said

Known for her aggressive stroke play at the top of the order, Mandhana was asked whether the added responsibility of captaincy could affect her batting style. She firmly stated that her approach would remain unchanged.

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New responsibility, same fearless approach 🫡 🎥 @mandhana_smriti addresses the media in her first press conference as #TeamIndia's full-time captain 🗣️ #INDvZIM | @mflone_ https://t.co/u3s5zRnIOr

— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) October 14, 2026

"I am a captain only when I am on the field; my batting shouldn't change. Even in the past, whenever I went out to bat, I followed the advice my childhood coach gave me: 'Whenever you go out to bat, think of yourself as the captain - that way, you take responsibility upon yourself.' That mindset will never change. If the ball is in my zone, I will hit it, and I will continue to play in whatever manner the team requires."

India and Zimbabwe will face each other in three T20 International matches, all to be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Naya Raipur. The opening match is scheduled for October 16, followed by the second game on October 18 and the final T20I on October 20. All three matches will begin at 7 PM.

The series will mark Mandhana's first assignment as India's full-time captain. Shafali Verma has been named vice-captain, while former skipper Harmanpreet Kaur is also included in the squad.

With all three matches scheduled in Raipur over six days, local cricket enthusiasts will get the chance to watch the Indian women's team in action across a series of international fixtures.

With all three matches scheduled in Raipur over six days, local cricket enthusiasts will get the chance to watch the Indian women's team in action across a series of international fixtures.