The alleged rift between Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur seemed to have died down, but now it has been reignited. It happened when the two players ignored shaking hands with each other after India beat Zimbabwe in the 3rd ODI on October 28.

No Handshake Between Players

In a video that went viral on social media, Smriti and Harmanpreet can be seen shaking hands with other teammates after the victory but not each other. Fans are speculating that there is a rift, and all is not well between them.

© X/BCCI

Was Captaincy the Cause?

Earlier in the month, Harmanpreet stepped down as captain. This happened after she led India to an Asian Games gold medal. She was captain in all formats when she stepped down. Smriti replaced her. Even then, there was buzz that things were not smooth during the transition.

How Did Fans React?

Take a look at what happened and how fans reacted:

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Harmanpreet Kaur's Tenure

Harmanpreet led India since 2016 in T20Is and took over the Test and ODI sides as well once Mithali Raj called time on her career in 2022. In 2025, she led the Women in Blue to a historic maiden ODI World Cup title and that too on home soil.

Change of Leadership

It was her batting form that came under the scanner in recent months. That increased calls to hand over the leadership role to Smriti, who was her deputy until then. The 30-year-old is now in charge while her 37-year-old predecessor is on the last legs of her playing days.