Former India captain Anjum Chopra has come to the defense of Harmanpreet Kaur as discussions about a potential leadership change heat up. She pointed out that the real issue lies in the lack of quality backup players in every department. In light of India’s recent struggles, Chopra emphasized that simply swapping out the captain won’t resolve the team’s more significant problems. Her remarks followed former skipper Mithali Raj’s suggestion to prepare Shafali Verma as a future WT20I captain. However, Chopra brushed off that notion, stressing that the focus should be on strengthening the squad with reliable options instead of just concentrating on who leads the team.
Chopra questioned why captaincy had become the main talking point, saying, “You can make anybody the captain. That doesn’t mean that the rest of the 10 players will start performing differently. And if that has to happen, then I think we’re in a very bad zone or a wrong place.”
Anjum Chopra Calls For Stronger Squad Depth Over Leadership Change
Chopra thinks that the challenges facing India go beyond just leadership issues. She pointed out, “We’re obviously lacking in the pace department. We are lacking options in the spin department. Presently, there is Sneh Rana, there is Deepti Sharma and there is Shree Charani. On the fringes is Radha Yadav.”
Looking ahead to the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, Chopra recalled how India had to pull Shafali Verma straight from domestic cricket due to Pratika Rawal’s injury, which really underscores the lack of ready replacements. She emphasized that teams aspiring to win global titles need to have reliable backup players for every position, citing Australia as a prime example of a team that consistently nurtures multiple options for each role.
Harmanpreet Kaur Reaches 9,000 International Runs
In the midst of discussions surrounding her captaincy, Harmanpreet Kaur reached a significant milestone on the first day of the one-off Test against England at Lord’s. She became just the third Indian woman to rack up 9,000 international runs, scoring a steady 58 off 121 balls. Her innings featured seven boundaries and a solid 89-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Smriti Mandhana, who contributed 83 runs. With a total of 9,045 runs across 374 international matches – 4,541 in ODIs, 4,216 in T20Is, and 288 in Tests. Harmanpreet now joins the elite 9,000-run club alongside Mithali Raj and Mandhana. She holds the record as the most-capped player in women’s cricket and is the only cricketer, male or female, to have played over 200 T20Is. Additionally, she led India to victory in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup before the team faced an early exit in the group stage of the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup.
