Sourav Ganguly stirs the pot with captaincy speculation days after Harmanpreet Kaur faced pressure to step aside

Just a day after India beat South Africa in the final in Navi Mumbai to lift a world title for the first time in history, former captain Shantha Rangaswamy asked the BCCI to replace Harmanpreet with Smriti Mandhana as India’s captain. “It’s overdue. Because Harman, as a batter and a fielder, is brilliant. Yes. But tactically, she can fumble at times. I feel she can contribute more if she’s without the burden of captaincy,” Rangaswamy said.

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The BCCI has yet to comment on the future, given that the next India series is scheduled for early January, and that the focus will shift directly to the T20 World Cup, which will be held in England in June 2026. However, on Saturday, former board president and current CAB chief, Ganguly, who had once come heartbreakingly close to a World Cup win himself in 2003, backed Richa to lead the Indian team in the future.

"The World Cup triumph is a special, special win and only Richa can tell us what that feels like," Ganguly said, adding she has the talent to one day lead the country in women's cricket.

"Your career has just begun. Women's cricket will grow massively in the next four to six years, and there will be more opportunities. I hope you make the most of them and one day, like Jhulan, we’ll stand here and say: 'Richa -- India captain'.

"You're just 22... You’ve got time. All blessings and heartiest congratulations."

The 22-year-old from Siliguri played a vital role down the order for India, scoring 235 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 133.5, which included a fiery 77-ball 94 against South Africa in the league stage. The tally included 12 sixes - the joint-most by any batter in a single World Cup edition. She was also the highest run-getter in the tournament in the slog overs (41-50), with 185 runs at a strike rate of 165.17, and through the course of the tournament became the fastest Indian to 1000 ODI runs.

Hailing her ability to perform under pressure, Ganguly said: "The role she plays batting lower down the order is very difficult. You get fewer balls but you have to score the most runs.

"People may remember Jemimah’s 127 not out or Harmanpreet’s 89 in the semifinals, but Richa’s strike rate of 130-plus made the difference. What she’s done so simply is equal in value to Smriti or Harman.”

Richa was honoured with the Banga Bhushan award, appointed Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), and gifted a gold chain by the West Bengal government. The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) also rewarded her with INR 34 lakh — INR 1 lakh for each run she scored in the final.

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