Muzumdar Praises Harmanpreet, Eyes Future of Women's Cricket
Amol Muzumdar, head coach of India's women's cricket team, said on Saturday that the side will not take long to put together a dedicated T20 International unit. He believes the emerging generation of cricketers is better equipped than before to handle the demands of the shortest format.
Muzumdar stated clearly that his time as coach alongside captain Harmanpreet Kaur had been a positive experience, but he said the focus now is on the road ahead.
India currently hold the ODI World Cup title, which they won in Navi Mumbai in 2025. The Women's T20 World Cup, however, is still missing from the team's trophy cabinet.
"We will not need too much time. We are already working towards it. Some brilliant players are emerging. The talent I have seen at the Centre of Excellence (CoE), where the Under-15 and Under-19 national teams hold their camps, is really special," Muzumdar said.
He made these remarks at a programme organised by the Sports Journalists Association of Mumbai (SJM). "Excellent work is going on at the CoE. These camps show exactly where Indian women's cricket is right now. I believe it is in a healthy position."
He also noted that young cricketers understand what today's T20 game requires. "They are fully prepared and they are professionals. Even the Under-15 players are professionals. They know the value of nutrition for the sport. They understand fitness, they understand fielding, and they are superb fielders. They are good athletes and they recognise that physical capacity matters a lot in cricket. You will soon see Indian cricket in a very strong place once the new generation takes charge."
Muzumdar's extensive experience in domestic cricket has sharpened his ability to spot promising players. He said skill is only part of the picture, and a player's desire to learn is equally important.
"I look to see whether a player is willing to learn. That shows in his physical gestures. You must learn to read a player's body language. In recent years I have spent considerable time in first-class cricket, and I understand that a great deal can be known about a player from his movements on the field. I try to understand these signals."
He added, "Sometimes you have to honour the space a player wants. As a coach you may have 10,000 things to tell a player, but you also need to see whether he is mentally in a position to take in what you are saying."
Monday marks the first anniversary of India's Women's ODI World Cup 2025 triumph. Reflecting on the occasion, Muzumdar said team unity and the dressing room atmosphere were what he valued most. "If I had to pick one thing, it would be the unity in the team and the mood in the dressing room. That unity kept the dressing room light and happy. There was a buzz and enthusiasm there, and I love creating that kind of environment."
As Smriti Mandhana steps in as captain in place of Harmanpreet Kaur, Muzumdar spoke warmly about the former skipper. "My time with Harmanpreet as captain has been very good, but now I am also looking to the future. With all due respect, her conduct and approach as captain were outstanding. I consider myself very fortunate to have worked with her for three years as a coach. I was able to appreciate her captaincy mindset and her way of thinking as a leader. I truly feel very blessed."