The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) held a review meeting with the Indian women’s cricket team in Guwahati on Monday, bringing together captain Harmanpreet Kaur, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and head coach Amol Muzumdar.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia chaired the meeting, which comes at an interesting point for the Indian women’s team. After a disappointing campaign at the T20 World Cup in England earlier this year, India have responded strongly by winning two major continental competitions in quick succession.

The recent turnaround has changed the mood around the team and given the management plenty of positives to consider while planning for the next phase.

India Bounce Back After T20 World Cup Setback

India’s performance at the T20 World Cup in England during June and July was below expectations. The team struggled to produce the consistency required at a major global tournament, leading to questions about the direction of the side.

However, the response since then has been impressive.

India first secured the Women’s Asia Cup title in the UAE before travelling to Japan for the Asian Games. The team carried its momentum into the continental multi-sport event and finished with the gold medal.

Winning two titles in succession has provided a significant boost to the squad and coaching staff.

The review meeting in Guwahati therefore came at a time when India can look at both sides of the recent journey — the shortcomings at the World Cup and the success that followed.

The discussions are expected to have focused largely on how the team can build on its recent performances and address areas that require improvement.

Harmanpreet Kaur Expected to Continue

One of the talking points surrounding the Indian women’s team has been the captaincy.

There have been suggestions from some quarters that India could consider a leadership change following the T20 World Cup disappointment. However, there is currently no indication that the BCCI is planning to remove Harmanpreet Kaur from the captaincy.

Harmanpreet attended Monday’s meeting alongside Mandhana and Muzumdar, and she is understood to remain secure in her position for now.

Her recent leadership has coincided with India’s return to winning ways, with the team collecting gold at the Asian Games and also lifting the Women’s Asia Cup trophy.

That success is likely to strengthen the case for continuity.

Rather than making major changes after a disappointing tournament, the BCCI appears more inclined to allow the current leadership group to continue working together.

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No Major Decisions Expected

The review meeting does not appear to have resulted in any major decisions, although the exact outcome of the discussions has not been officially detailed.

The primary objective seems to have been an assessment of the team’s recent performances and a discussion about the way forward.

India’s schedule is also moving quickly, leaving little room for lengthy deliberations. The selectors are expected to meet soon to finalise the squad for the upcoming white-ball series against Zimbabwe.

The series will be significant for another reason: it will mark the first bilateral visit by Zimbabwe Women to India.

With six matches scheduled during the tour, the series will provide India with another opportunity to assess players and strengthen their squad combinations.

Women’s Selection Committee to Meet

The women’s selection committee, headed by Amita Sharma, is expected to meet on Tuesday, October 6, to pick India’s squad for the Zimbabwe series.

The tour will feature three T20Is and three ODIs and will run for approximately two weeks.

The ODI matches will be particularly important because they will form part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2025-29.

That means the games will carry more significance than a routine bilateral series. Results in the Championship contribute towards the teams’ qualification pathway and therefore remain important for India’s long-term ODI plans.

The selectors will consequently have to balance the need to give opportunities to emerging players with the importance of securing strong results.

Historic Zimbabwe Tour

Zimbabwe Women are set to visit India for a bilateral series for the first time.

The tour will consist of six white-ball matches, beginning with the T20I leg before moving into the ODI series.

All three T20Is will be played in Raipur, with matches scheduled for October 16, 18 and 20.

The teams will then move to Vadodara for the three-match ODI series. Those games are scheduled for October 23, 26 and 28.

For Zimbabwe, the tour represents an important opportunity to gain experience against one of the leading teams in women’s international cricket.

For India, meanwhile, the series offers another chance to continue the momentum created by their recent successes.

Opportunity for India’s Emerging Players

A six-match series against Zimbabwe could also give India’s management the opportunity to assess players outside the established core.

The team has several experienced names, including Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, but building squad depth remains an important priority.

The selectors could use the series to provide international exposure to players who have performed well domestically or in other competitions.

With the ODI matches forming part of the Women’s Championship, however, India will also need to maintain a competitive balance.

The challenge for the management will be to provide opportunities without compromising results.

Amol Muzumdar’s Role

Head coach Amol Muzumdar was also present at the review meeting and is expected to remain an important part of India’s plans.

His role will be crucial in converting the lessons from the T20 World Cup into improvements on the field.

The team’s success in the Asia Cup and Asian Games suggests that the coaching group has already been able to make adjustments. The focus now will be on ensuring that those improvements are sustainable.

India’s recent run of success has also helped reduce some of the pressure that followed the World Cup campaign.

Focus Shifts to Zimbabwe

The BCCI review comes at a useful time, with India’s next assignment already approaching.

The Zimbabwe series will give the selectors and coaching staff an opportunity to test different combinations across both white-ball formats.

The T20Is in Raipur will begin on October 16, while the ODI series in Vadodara will follow from October 23.

For Harmanpreet Kaur and her team, the immediate objective will be to continue the winning momentum. For the selectors, it will be about identifying the right combination for the longer international calendar.

India’s women’s team has gone from disappointment at the T20 World Cup to winning two continental titles in a relatively short period.

The Guwahati review meeting is therefore less about crisis management and more about ensuring that the recent turnaround develops into sustained success.

With no immediate indication of a leadership change, Harmanpreet Kaur is expected to continue leading the side. The next major step will come when the selectors name the squad for the historic Zimbabwe tour.

If India can maintain their recent form across the six-match series, it would further underline the progress made since the World Cup setback and provide a strong foundation for the challenges ahead.