CHENNAI: As India gear up for the women's T20 Asia Cup, former cricketer and teammate Reema Malhotra has backed Harmanpreet Kaur to continue as the captain of the national team.
Following the early exit in the T20 World Cup earlier, Kaur's captaincy has come under scrutiny. Questions have been raised whether the 37-year-old is the right person to lead India forward in the shortest format, especially with Smriti Mandhana waiting in the wings. However, Malhotra said she doesn't want to judge a player by their age but by fitness. "For me, fitness comes first," she told this daily in an interaction facilitated by Sony Sports Network.
"From what I heard recently, they had a yoyo test in Bengaluru. And Harman, I think, gave a high score. As a team, you have lost the World Cup. So, why do you want to change the captain? My point is, if Harman doesn't get fit in the future or doesn't get to play for any reason, then you have the option of Smriti Mandhana. Because she is still the vice-captain. It's not like you will bring a new face to the team. Smriti is ready. But, I think, we should go with Harman. Because the World Cup comes every two years and if Harman is fit and she plays the WPL with the same fitness, excitement and performance, I don't think it is right to change leadership now," she added.
The former all-rounder felt that change in mindset and not captaincy is essential for India to turnaround their fortunes in ICC events. Though they won the ODI World Cup, for India to do well in T20Is, she felt role and format clarity is paramount. "We have to change our mindset. You have to change the culture. Who are the ODI players you have? Who are the T20 players? You have to identify them and use them. Changing the captain will not solve the problem," she explained.
"Just before the Asia Cup, the message to the team should be that you should play aggressively. Your aim in the Asia Cup should not just be to win it, but to dominate it. Because this preparation will not only be for the Asia Cup or the bilateral series, it should be for the next World Cup. My concern is that if you win the Asia Cup, if you just win it, then you won't benefit from it. If you win the Asia Cup by dominating it, then you will start playing aggressive cricket from there. Then you will be able to compete with teams like Australia or England. So, the message of Harman and Amol (Muzumdar, head coach) should be clear to the team," Malhotra added.
Watch DP World Women's Asia Cup 2026- Thailand vs Hong Kong on August 28, 2026, from 8 PM IST live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 SD (Telugu, Kannada) & Sony LIV.