A viral clip from India’s third ODI against Zimbabwe on Wednesday reignited talk of a rift between Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur
The footage from Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara showed Mandhana appearing to move away as Harmanpreet approached during the handshake line
India beat Zimbabwe by eight wickets to complete a 3-0 sweep in the ODI series
Rumours of a rift between Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur flared again on social media after a video clip from India’s third ODI against Zimbabwe went viral on Wednesday (October 28).
India’s thumping eight-wicket victory at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara sealed a 3-0 sweep in the series, but the post-match visuals drew as much attention as the result.
Fans focused on the handshake line after the match. As players greeted each other, Mandhana appeared to move away as Harmanpreet approached.
In the footage shown on camera, no handshake was seen between Mandhana and Harmanpreet, prompting fresh speculation that the two senior players are not on the best terms.
The moment came straight after a dominant result for the Women in Blue. India’s eight-wicket win in the third ODI wrapped up a clean 3-0 series victory and extended a strong run under Mandhana’s leadership.
The chatter has revived against the backdrop of India’s recent leadership change. Earlier this month, Harmanpreet stepped down as India captain across all three formats after leading India to victory in the 2026 Asia Cup and a gold medal in the Nagoya Asian Games.
That transition had already drawn attention. There had been buzz before the handover that all was not well between Mandhana and Harmanpreet, and the latest clip has brought that talk back into focus.
The timing has added to the noise. Mandhana is now leading the side full-time, while Harmanpreet remains one of India’s biggest names and a central figure in the team’s recent success.
Harmanpreet’s record as captain spans a long period. She led India in T20Is for a decade from 2016 and took charge of the ODI and Test sides in 2022 after Mithali Raj’s retirement.
Her biggest milestone came last year. The 37-year-old became the first captain of the Indian women’s team to win a senior ICC event when India lifted the 2025 Women’s World Cup on home soil.
Even so, questions over her batting had grown in recent months. Those concerns fed calls for a captaincy change, with many backing Mandhana for the role after she served as vice-captain throughout Harmanpreet’s tenure.
Mandhana's Strong Start
Results under Mandhana have been emphatic so far. India won their first T20I series under her as full-time captain 3-0 against Zimbabwe.
The ODI team has followed the same script. India also won their first ODI series under Mandhana as full-time captain 3-0 against Zimbabwe.
That makes the contrast sharper. On the field, India have surged ahead under Mandhana, but off the field, one brief post-match moment has again stirred talk about her equation with Harmanpreet.
