For twenty years, Harika Dronavalli was a fixture of every Indian team that walked into an Olympiad hall. Board one, board two, whatever the assignment, she was there, absorbing the pressure that comes with playing for a country rather than just for herself. So when the Indian squad for the Chess Olympiad 2026 was announced without her name on it, the news read, on the surface, like a changing of the guard: Humpy Koneru returning to the team and Savitha Shri B stepping in as a new addition along with a new captain: Swayams Mishra. Read Harika's thoughts on the decision. | Photo: Nils Rohde / ChessBase