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NEW DELHI: Former India player Anjum Chopra believes Harmanpreet Kaur remains the right choice to lead the Indian women’s team, even as discussions around captaincy resurface ahead of a busy international season and the upcoming Women’s Premier League (WPL).

Focus on continuity after World Cup triumph

With the Indian women’s team set to return to action in a T20 series against Sri Lanka following their World Cup success, Chopra feels the attention should stay on maintaining momentum rather than debating leadership changes.

"My personal view over the past so many years has been that Harmanpreet Kaur is a match winner. I don't think I need to say anything further," Chopra told PTI Videos.

"She's the best person to lead this Indian team."

Chopra dismisses captaincy change talk

Chopra brushed aside recent suggestions from former India captain Shantha Rangaswamy regarding a change in leadership, stressing that such opinions are personal.

"Everybody has their right to share what they feel... There's nothing right or wrong. It's just the timing of it," she said.

"I still feel that she's the correct person and the apt person to lead India."

Importance of shifting focus back to cricket

Looking ahead to the Sri Lanka series, Chopra underlined the need for the team to quickly get back into competitive mode after the celebrations.

"The quicker they get back into playing... everybody wants to continue that winning momentum," she said.

"The moment you step back onto the park, you want to start exactly from where you left."

She added that the five-match T20 series will be vital preparation with another T20 World Cup on the horizon.

Power game and role of WPL

Chopra also spoke about the evolution of power-hitting in women’s cricket, while acknowledging comparisons with teams like Australia and New Zealand.

"Power is not something that everybody is born with," Chopra said.

"There are certain players… like Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh... the power they possess is possibly natural power."

He stressed that power can be developed with the right training.

"Power is something that you can always gain. And there are techniques, there is a proper training to it," she said, adding that Indian players have made clear progress.

"You can't be chasing down 340 runs without having those big hits… they are improving on that."

Chopra credited tournaments like the WPL for accelerating that growth.

"Tournaments like the WPL, tournaments where the international players rub shoulders with our domestic players... that awareness will keep happening," she said.

(With PTI Inputs)