Leadership void looms over England women’s cricket as Heather Knight remains the only viable option
“At some point you have to draw a line and say ‘we need to do something differently’.”
These were the words of then-England coach Mark Robinson in 2016, following the dismissal of Charlotte Edwards as captain.
Here we are again, nearly nine years later – England once more directionless and in desperate need of something new. This time, however, the path ahead seems even less clear.
While England arrived in Australia as underdogs, a 16-0 hammering was far beyond their worst fears. Journalist Gideon Haigh went so far to call them “probably the worst team to be gifted a Test match at the MCG” after a crushing innings-and-122-run defeat sealed the first whitewash in the multi-format era.
When justifying Edwards’ sacking in 2016, Robinson said: “We haven’t won a world tournament since 2009 so it wasn’t as if we were a hugely successful team. That’s why we’ve appointed a new captain [Heather Knight] of a different age to look to the long-term future.”
Almost a decade later, that long-term future has arrived – and England finds themselves at a familiar crossroads. Under Knight they won the 2017 World Cup, but have lifted no major trophies since. They haven’t reclaimed the Ashes since 2014, and their best T20 World Cup finish in that time was runners-up in 2018.
This latest humiliation comes mere months after a disastrous T20 World Cup campaign – England crashing out in the group stage for the first time since 2010.
In any other situation, the conclusion would be clear – Knight must go. At 34, a long-term future as captain seems unlikely, especially after admitting she has probably played her last T20 World Cup.
With England stagnating, a fresh start feels inevitable. Yet, with no obvious successor, the path forward is anything but clear.
Is Heather Knight still the best option?
Not only is there a dearth of candidates for the role, but Knight remains an exceptional cricketer, leader, and servant of the game. For years, she has been the face and voice of English women’s cricket.
The full force of her leadership was revealed when she limped off with a calf injury during the T20 World Cup loss to West Indies. Without her, England fell into disarray.
It’s also worth emphasising just how formidable Australia are, and Knight can hardly be blamed for the eight dropped catches in the Ashes Test. With the bat, she was the series’ second-highest run-scorer across both teams.
Here lies another apt comparison to Edwards, who was the second-leading run-scorer in the 2016 Women’s World Twenty20. Yet, after England’s semi-final exit (again to Australia) her captaincy and international career came to an abrupt end.
Edwards, arguably the defining figure in women’s cricket, led England to three Ashes victories and won both the World Cup and World Twenty20 titles. So, it was no surprise that Robinson’s decision to drop her ruffled some feathers.
She had hoped to go out after the 2017 World Cup on home soil, but Robinson had other ideas. “We need to create opportunities for other players to come through and to grow and it’s not as if we’re breaking up a winning team,” he said.
“Sometimes change brings the best out of people.”
That decision was vindicated just over a year later when England triumphed at Lord’s, ending an eight-year wait for an international trophy.
Now, nearly another eight years on, England are once again far from a winning team. With a World Cup looming this August, and a home T20 World Cup next year, is it time to revisit the lessons of past success?
England’s captaincy conundrum: who steps up?
This is where the comparison falls short, as the same glaring obstacle keeps emerging – the lack of viable options. When Edwards was axed in 2016, Knight was the clear and natural successor. In 2025, it’s a very different story.
Nat Sciver-Brunt would be the most likely candidate. The vice-captain has already expressed her enthusiasm, saying: “I’d love to lead the girls”.
However, her track record as stand-in captain is far from convincing. She may do better in a full-time role, but is it wise to burden your best player with extra responsibility?
Amy Jones stepped up in 2022 in the absence of Knight and Sciver-Brunt, but admitted the role doesn’t come naturally to her – and isn’t one she enjoys.
Then there’s Charlie Dean, who has captained England A and London Spirit. While a strong long-term option, thrusting the 24-year-old into the role now would be bold, but also risky.
Sophie Ecclestone, the final member of the current leadership group, also seems an unlikely candidate. Clare Connor, England’s managing director of women’s cricket, directed her strongest post-Ashes criticism at Eccleston, who declined an interview with Alex Hartley – reportedly due to Hartley’s past criticism of the team’s fitness.
That leaves no one in the squad with the necessary experience, leadership skills, or long-term potential to step up.
England have backed themselves into a corner
As bleak as that sounds, the question remains: what are they to do? Stick with Knight in the absence of a better option, or half-hearted change for the sake of it?
As we await the ECB’s “thorough and honest” review, one positive stands out – the team’s future is being taken seriously. Back in 2016, in-depth analysis of a women’s team’s performance, good or bad, was rare.
England must be held to a higher standard. Playing to “inspire and entertain” is all well and good, but recent performances have done neither – and simply haven’t been good enough. The Ashes carry historical significance, but the quality of cricket must reflect that for the good of the game.
With that in mind, change is not only inevitable but essential – and head coach Jon Lewis is likely to be the first casualty. He insisted he is still “the right person” but would be incredibly lucky to survive an Ashes whitewash.
What’s more, if change is necessary, then Lewis is far more expendable than Knight.
There’s been plenty of talk about how things can’t get worse – I disagree. In terms of trophies, that may be true, and perhaps that’s what matters most. But England are still the second-best team in the world, even if they haven’t converted that into silverware.
The real concern for England is the widening gap with Australia and the narrowing one behind them. Changing captains would be a major shift for this team, and the wrong decision could, in fact, make things worse.
Especially when it comes to Sciver-Brunt, who already shoulders so much responsibility. Expecting her to take on even more could prove extremely damaging.
A Lesson to learn
The fact is, England have made their bed and must now lie in it. Their overreliance on Knight has left them without a clear successor, as she remains the only realistic option.
It’s not ideal, and not a long-term solution, but for now, she’s still the best person to lead this team.
The real priority must be learning from this to avoid history repeating itself. England should follow Australia’s example by creating a leadership programme that nurtures future captains and strengthens leadership depth.
Of the 33 women who’ve graduated from Australia’s programme, 27 have taken leadership roles at domestic, franchise, or international levels. Australia, in stark contrast to England, are a team of leaders. When Alyssa Healy was injured during the Ashes, Tahlia McGrath – a graduate of the programme – stepped in seamlessly.
Long story short, England need a reset – but that does not mean throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Heather Knight remains the only viable option for captain as they rethink and rebuild.
Perhaps they could even turn to Charlotte Edwards, who told BBC’s Stumped: “I just want English cricket to get back to where it should be.
“We’ve got to use people who know what’s going on to help. I feel I’m in a position to help and support the ECB in that process.”
