Australian allrounder Ashleigh Gardner has expressed her willingness to accept the captaincy of the national team if offered, despite never having envisioned herself in this leadership role.
Leadership Growth
In the past year, Gardner has made significant strides in her leadership journey, taking on captaincy positions in three different T20 leagues around the globe. As the new year approaches, she is set to travel to India to once again lead the Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League (WPL).
Gardner took over the captaincy of the franchise from her Australian teammate Beth Mooney last season, successfully leading them to their first-ever playoff appearance. Her leadership journey continued mid-year in the UK when England captain Natalie Sciver-Brunt stepped back, allowing Gardner to lead the Trent Rockets in The Hundred, where they finished in the top four.
This experience empowered her to confidently pursue the captaincy role with the Sydney Sixers, culminating in her succeeding Ellyse Perry for WBBL 11.
Gardner’s Perspective
“Yeah, I guess so. If I got asked to do it, great,” Gardner told cricket.com.au when asked if she’d be up for Australia’s captaincy after Alyssa Healy steps down. “You can lead without actually having the ‘c’ next to your name. That’s something that I’ve really tried to do over the last little period, especially within the spin group.”
She added, “(I have) really tried to lead that pack. I’ve been there the longest, so (I’m) making sure that I’m sharing knowledge where I can, but also just bouncing ideas off each other. I think cricket’s such an individual sport within a team environment. It’s so important to be able to utilise those around you.”
Contenders for Captaincy
While 22-year-old Phoebe Litchfield’s name is frequently mentioned by former players and pundits, current vice-captain Tahlia McGrath also remains a strong contender for the role. In the past 14 months, McGrath has stepped in as captain during Healy’s absence, with Gardner serving as her official deputy during the T20 series in New Zealand in March.
Global Leadership Recognition
Gardner leads every franchise team she currently represents. A testament to her strong leadership reputation worldwide is that two current national captains, Healy in the WBBL and Sciver-Brunt at The Hundred, play under her in their respective leagues.